It was a sweltering day when Justin Randolph Thompson and I sat down outdoors for coffee and a renewed commitment.
The Florentine has always given space to
Black History Month Florence as the cultural initiative has evolved since its foundation in 2016, but in 2021 we feel compelled to dive deeper and broaden an awareness of Black culture in Florence. In addition to a regular column, this month’s issue contains an extended special edited by BHMF, which will be accompanied by online chats on our Facebook pages and YouTube channels. It’s our hope that the Italian media will follow suit to amplify under-acknowledged voices throughout the country. Contents include a thought-provoking review of the
Hershey Felder as Sholem Aleichem in BEFORE FIDDLER
Good news for Hershey Felder fans and musical theater lovers everywhere! TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is launching the New Year with three world premiere livestreamed performances in partnership with Hershey Felder Presents
Live from Florence. First up is
Hershey Felder as Sholem Aleichem in BEFORE FIDDLER, presented live at 5pm PST on Sunday, February 7, 2021 (with streaming on-demand access through February 14).
Decades before the megahit musical
Fiddler on the Roof first delighted audiences, there was Sholem Aleichem and his beloved character of Tevye the Milkman. Long before songs like Tradition, If I Were a Rich Man and Sunrise, Sunset first beguiled audiences, there was klezmer, a music that imitated talking, laughing, weeping, and singing, and where musicians didn t just make music, they spoke to audiences in song.
Hedy Weiss guides an artistic journey towards healing from three sources. by Hedy Weiss on January 25, 2021
Hershey Felder at the piano. Photo courtesy of Hershey Felder.
Vaccine or no vaccine, the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much with us, and probably will continue to plague the world for some time to come. But while artists and arts organizations have suffered immensely throughout the past year, they also have refused to be silenced. Theater has adapted itself to the small screen. Music has been recorded. Books have been published. Here are three ideal, yet very different examples of art that might help ease the long trek back to normal.