Italy will mark the 700th anniversary of the death of the mediaeval poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri, known as the Father of the Italian language, with a series of events in 2021. One of the most interesting and innovative initiatives is the creation of the Museum of Italian Language in Florence, specifically in a wing of the S. Maria Novella complex, which played a decisive role in Dante’s studies and in his masterpiece The Divine Comedy. The museum will outline the history and evolution of the Italian language and celebrate Italy’s great writers, including Boccaccio, Petrarch and Machiavelli. While the museum itself will probably not be ready by the end of 2021, there will be two events that will symbolically mark the path towards the future museum according to Nicoletta Maraschio, honorary president of the Accademia della Crusca. The first will take place on 25 March 2021, when a sort of virtual room will present the grand project online. The second event is scheduled for September in the Gothic hall of the refectory of the Santa Maria Novella complex, therefore in a space that is adjacent to the future museum. There will be an exhibition with materials of various kinds, including paintings and altarpieces with Dante’s verses, all dedicated to the Father of the Italian Language and to the 16th century.The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome will host the “Io dico Io – I say I” exhibition from 23 March to 27 June 2021. Curated by Cecilia Canziani, Lara Conte and Paola Ugolini, the exhibition brings together Italian female artists of different generations who in different historical and social contexts have narrated their adventure in search of authenticity.
The Mausoleum of Augustus will reopen to the public on 1st March 2021. It is one of the most impressive architectural works of Roman times and the ancient world’s largest circular tomb. It was closed in 2007 for archaeological investigations and the restoration project. Free visits will be available from 1 March to 21 April 2021 if you reserve on the official website.La Biennale di Venezia has different Exhibitions and Festivals scheduled for 2021, most notably:
- The 17th International Architecture Exhibition, called ‘How will we live together?’ and curated by Hashim Sarkis, from 22 May to 21 November. Until then, you can enjoy a Sneak Peek of this event by following the regular updates on the website and social media platforms of Biennale di Venezia, with interviews and other exclusive previews online.
- The 49th International Theatre Festival, directed by Stefano Ricci and Gianni Forte, from 2 to 11 July.
- The 15th International Festival of Contemporary Dance, directed by Wayne McGregor, from 23 July to 1 August.
- The 78th Venice International Film Festival, directed by Alberto Barbera, from 1 to 11 September.
- The 65th International Festival of Contemporary Music. directed by Lucia Ronchetti, from 17 to 26 September.
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