Sott'Acqua
Two cities on opposite sides of the Atlantic as well as the cultural spectrum. Two cities struck by natural disasters which left each of them underwater in the last century. Two cities marking the signing of a 25 year old Friendship Pact. In celebration, Splendor of Florence is once again organizing a festival between Providence and Florence.
Florence
On the morning of November 4, 1966, Florence, one of the world's most historic cities and the repository of some of its greatest art, was struck by a monumental disaster. A low-pressure system had been stalled over Italy for six weeks and on the previous day it had begun to rain again. Nineteen inches fell in twenty-four hours, more than half of the annual total. By two o'clock in the morning twenty thousand cubic feet of water per second was moving toward Florence. Cellars, vaults, and strong-rooms in the famous museums of the city were filling with mud as the water moved at forty miles per hour at a height of twenty-four feet. Dozens of lives were lost, great works of art destroyed, and a million antiquarian books in the low-lying Biblioteca Nazionale were submerged.
Providence
On the morning of August 31, 1954, an ugly storm with the pretty name of Carol brought the summer in Rhode Island to an abrupt halt. The hurricane arrived at breakneck speed and departed just as quickly, leaving 19 dead, many injured and the entire state devastated. Property damage was over $200 million, nearly 4000 homes either disappeared or lay in tatters, and more than 2000 boats were destroyed or seriously damaged. The storm surge, driven by 90 mph winds with gusts of up to 105 mph, gushed into the heart of Providence, and downtown was under 12 feet of water for the remainder of that terrible day.
Splendor of Florence will once again use the arts to engage the public in meaningful dialogue which this time will focus on climate change and its impacts on our communities. Events will include:
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A Celebration Between Friends
Sott’Acqua will begin with the signing of a new Friendship Pact between Providence and Florence in light of the advancements both cities are making with the climate crisis, the fragile environment and the importance of sustainability.
Two Cities Underwater
Grace Episcopal Church Pavilion on Westminster Street will exhibit iconic photographs taken by the late Life Magazine photographer David Lees that document the flood in Florence in 1966 and the Providence Journal photos of downtown Providence after Hurricane Carol in 1954. The lobby of 100 Westminster Street will have on display eight of the most dramatic photographs from the exhibit.
Music Together - Two Cities As One
A commemorative concert by The Rhode Island Philharmonic will feature guest opera singers from Florence’s Accademia di Maggio Musicale Fiorentino at Grace Church. The Academy’s Artistic Director, Matteo Pais, will hold a master class for students interested in pursuing a professional career in opera singing. The class is by invitation only.
Activities for Families and Children
Grace Church Pavilion's tented courtyard will host educational activities for students from Pre-K to High School to interact with environmentalists in a weeklong program organized by Save The Bay to introduce young people to the Narragansett Bay, its living creatures, and the importance of keeping it healthy.
Resiliency and Sustainability in the Face of Climate Change
Brown University has invited professors from the University of Florence, the University of Rhode Island and well-known local environmentalists to participate in a round table discussion, Climate Action in the Aftermath of Two Natural Disasters, in conjunction with the 2024 National Humanities Council Conference taking place concurrently in Providence.
Remembering Sott’ Acqua:A Cinematic History of Two Cities Underwater
Brown will also present a film festival about the Florence and Providence floods, featuring Franco Zeffirelli’s Per Firenze (narrated by the actor Richard Burton) and newly edited footage from RI Historical Society and RI PBS.
Restauro: The Science of Art Restoration and Preservation
Rhode Island School of Design Museum presents Elizabeth Wicks, an internationally renowned art conservator in Florence, who will share her recent restoration process for the painting Allegory of Inclination, created for Michelangelo’s home, now the Casa Buonarroti Museum in Florence. The artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, is the most celebrated female painter of the 17th Century. Ms. Wicks will describe her journey in discovering the mystery in this masterpiece. Following her presentation, RISD Professor Bill Drew, an expert on Renaissance painting techniques will give a lecture/demo.
Both lectures will be presented a second time at the Providence Art Club.
The Art of Florentine Paper
A workshop by Maria Giannini, a sixth generation Florentine artisan in the Giulio Giannini family, renowned for their excellence in restoration, will give visitors the opportunity to learn the techniques of marbling paper and book fabrication. Ms Giannini was an important part of all three Splendor of Florence events and is happy to be coming back to Providence after 25 years.
Food + Wine = Friendship
Hope and Main at 100 Westminster Street will become a Tuscan Trattoria serving a typical breakfast and lunch as well as holding daily wine and olive oil tastings. Restaurants in Providence will be invited to participate by offering a special Tuscan menu for the week of the Festival. A dinner featuring the wines of Tuscany with special guest chefs and wine producers will also be presented.