Like most people who visit Italy, I identified Florence with the Duomo, Ponte Vacchio and Michelangelo’s home where the famous sculpture of David was created. The lesser known was the great Medici family history and their ties to the city. Like an average traveler, I focused on the art of the city more than knowing where the art came from. However, a theatrical play filled me up with the necessary details.
I stated my weekend by visiting all the landmark location in town while video documenting the journey like a virtual tour of Florence. I crossed by a church which seemed rather interesting by the hustle going around the place. It was the Church of Sant’Onofrio where The Medici Dynasty Show was scheduled to performed. Excited by the enthusiasm around, I walked in to know more.
In collaboration with the Florence University of arts, The Medici Dynasty show is produced by a creative team of Florentine artist. The story is about Medici family history as presented through the conversation between the last descendants of the family, Gian Gastone de’Medici who was the last grand duke of the empire and his sister Anna Maria Luisa de’Medici who was the last living member of the family. The play starts with the duke on his deathbed, highlighting the history of Florence by discussing their contributions and planning its future, through a dialogue with his sister, the last living member of the family who donated all the art collection to city treasure and signed the treaty of Family Pack with Lorena family that kept the city alive after the death of all Medici members.
With just two characters, the shows pays tribute to the family who build the city and ruled the region for over three centuries. Credited as the most powerful and influential family of the renaissance, the Medicis have constructed the city’s rich artistic heritage by nurturing legends such as Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo Da’Vinci, regardless of the multiple long kept dark secrets about murders for power that links to them. With Florence as the protagonist, the story revolves around an argument between the last male Medici in power, Gian Gastone, and Anna Maria Luisa, who is also considered one of the most inspiring female figures of the time. Abandoned as child and raised by her grandparents, Anna Maria Luisa was a huge appreciator of art and have been credited for the rich collection of art in the city that she later donated.
The play is presenting in yet another interesting way by using modern projection techniques and digital reanimations that project the background scenes on the church walls, as audience sit on the benches and the two characters perform in center front. As they recall their nostalgia, different scenes are created by changing the image to the referred location or environment while the base lighting adjusts with the emotional status of the characters.
With the sole purpose of infotainment, the production is relevant to the Florentines and tourists as it revives the history of Florence and acknowledge the Medicis. As a part of the audience member, I entered the room mystified but walked out with essential learnings about the topic. Having knowledge about the history of the city was a much needed resource as it helped me experience the beauty and heritage of the town through a different prospective.
Rasika Rane 