Genius Loci – The initiative organized by Controradio Club, Opera di Santa Croce and Controradio was held from 20 to 24 September in the spaces of the monumental complex of Santa Croce, Florence. Four evenings and a sold out dawn for the 5th “Genius Loci: discovering Santa Croce”. In the morning the magic of Wim Mertens, and the 2023 edition is already scheduled. More than 4000 spectators – the absolute maximum for the capacity of the venues – took turns to participate in the talks, concerts and performances of the festival.
Unrepeatable emotion, at dawn this morning, thanks to the magical encounter between Wim Mertens and the spirituality of Santa Croce. She was crowned by the sold out of every single evening there 5 / a edition of “Genius Loci: discovering Santa Croce”the festival that, from 20 to 24 Septembermade the monumental complex the protagonist of four nights and a sunrise with the great names of national and international music and culture.
“Epiphany / apparition”: this was the fil rouge in the light of which the invited artists have read and reinterpreted the spirit of the place between performances, talks and concerts. Santa Croce therefore opens the doors to contemporaneitygiving the public the opportunity to discover and rediscover its secular spaces in the light of the languages of music, culture and art, for an exclusive opportunity to experience them in an absolutely new and unusual way.
To conclude the initiative – organized by Controradio Club, Work of Santacontroradio Croce And Controradioin collaboration with cultural association La Nottola Di Minervawith the contribution of Municipality of Florence for Florentine Summer 2022 and of Metropolitan City of Florence – were the notes of Wim Mertensone of the major architects of minimalism, ambient and musical avant-garde of the twentieth century, who at the first light of the morning of Saturday 24 September performed in a performance designed specifically for the occasion: “Santa Croce project – solo piano”. Author always linked to the less experimental currents of contemporary music, Mertens achieved great success starting from the second half of the Eighties when his compositions were used for theme songs, television programs and numerous soundtracks, including the films of Peter Greenaway and the plays by Jan Fabre. To his credit he has over 80 solo albums and performances in opera houses and other prestigious locations around the world.
More than 4000 spectators – the absolute maximum for the capacity of the spaces involved – have alternated between the Basilica, the Pazzi Chapel, the Last Supper and the two cloisters. Among the initiatives the concert of Angelo Branduardi dedicated to Santa Croce; dialogue between religious communities with Franco Cardini; the artistic project of Linda Messerklinger with Luca “Vicio” Vicini dei Subsonica. And then: Markus Stockhausen live in the shadow of the fresco by Taddeo Gaddi; the reading of Alessandro Vanoli on the passing of the seasons in literature and art, with a memory by Chiara Frugoni; the musical recital of Petra Magoni to the sound of the archlute; a concert dedicated to Billie Holiday and Nina Simone And the tribute to Lucio Dalla of the beginnings. And the 2023 edition is already scheduled.
Emphasizes Cristina Acidini, president ofWork of Santa Croce: “We thank the artists and the many people, really of all ages, who participated in Genius Loci, an event characterized by that particular alchemy that is produced by the encounter between the spirituality of a unique place, music, arts and public. In these days we have experienced unrepeatable emotions: the artists, from Angelo Branduardi to Wim Mertens, found inspiration right here, in the embrace of the most intimate and profound soul of Santa Croce. These are experiences that highlight the absolute originality of this festival ”.
Says Marco Imposing, general manager of Controradio – Controradio Club: “It’s amazing how the genius loci di Santa Croce manages to inspire performances every time, transforming them into unique and unrepeatable. This year this became particularly evident with the Branduardi concert for Santa Croce which fascinated the thousands of spectators who attended the Basilica: the verse of his piece “At the fair of the east” sung in Ukrainian, was transformed into a sort of prayer for peace. Still very suggestive was the live of Wim Mertens who accompanied the audience with the splendid notes of his piano from the darkness of the night until the dawn of day. This was an important edition, with a larger and more participatory audience than ever and with the novelty of the opening of the Basilica and the reopening of the Pazzi Chapel, reserved for instrumental “solos” in dialogue with the very particular acoustics of the place. After 5 editions we believe that the festival has found its own precise identity and an important position in the national cultural and artistic panorama ”.
Genius Loci: four evenings and a sold out dawn for the fifth edition to discover Santa Croce