He is also Vice President of Fondazione per l’Arte Teatrale P.l.a.tea and a member of the AGIS Bureau, following an eleven-year tenure as Director of Teatro Stabile di Bolzano (2015–2026). In this conversation, he reflects on the artistic identity and strategic vision of the theatres that comprise Teatro della Toscana, while emphasizing the vital role of culture in fostering community and civic engagement.
How would you describe the identity of Teatro della Toscana and its role in the region today?
Teatro della Toscana is a vast and diverse theater, art and culture hub, encompassing Teatro della Pergola and Nuovo Rifredi Scena Aperta in Florence, and Teatro Era in Pontedera (Pisa). Today recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a City Theatre of Significant Cultural Interest, the foundation’s members and supporters include the Municipality of Florence, the Tuscany Region, the Metropolitan City of Florence, the Municipality of Pontedera, Fondazione CR Firenze and Fondazione Peccioliper. Our identity is not limited to curtain raisers, but also in our ability to inhabit and animate communities and territories. We are a pervasive cultural entity in constant dialogue with the region, a place of active citizenship where the great theatrical tradition meets experimentation, education and contemporary languages, making the stage a home that’s truly open to all.
In addition to theater programming, you host events and workshops. Where does this choice come from, and what value does it add to your offering?
It stems from the belief that the theater is a public space, a daily gathering place. Opening ourselves to training with the Atelier Internazionale del Costume, the Centro di Iniziamento all’Espressione, and hosting highly prestigious events like the Amici della Musica season in Florence, breaks down those “invisible barriers” that often keep people away from theaters. This choice enriches our offering, transforming the theater from a mere venue for performances to a generator of relationships: a space where people go not just to see plays, but to experience community.
What kind of audience do these activities allow you to reach? Do people who come for one event often return for a performance?
They allow us to reach a new, diverse and often young audience, who perhaps aren’t used to frequenting the theater regularly. The event or workshop represents an informal and welcoming “gateway.” It’s very common for those who enter the theater for a collateral event or workshop to overcome their initial hesitation, discover the unique atmosphere of our spaces, and then decide to return. It’s a natural process of rapport and loyalty that we care about, and that’s why we support it in many ways. I’m thinking of young people: those under 25 can purchase a season ticket that reduces the price of a ticket to just 10 euro per show—an investment accessible to everyone. For the first time in the history of Nuovo Rifredi Scena Aperta, we’ve introduced fixed-rotation season tickets. At La Pergola, we’ve launched two brand-new offerings: three-year season tickets, designed for those who wish to commit to our cultural offering over time, benefiting from fixed and advantageous rates and the option of reserving an entire box for exclusive use, for an intimate theatrical experience with family or friends. Since we’re talking about the Teatro della Pergola, I’d like to highlight the invaluable contribution, not only financial, of our main sponsor, Fineco.
What event or initiative best represents the spirit of the theater and its versatility?
I’m thinking of the days led by artistic director Stefano Massini, during which our theaters—Pergola, Rifredi and Teatro Era—hosted real “neighborhood parties.” These initiatives were open to the city and intertwined informal gatherings with performances and workshops. It’s exactly through this blend of art, socializing and participation that the versatility of Teatro della Toscana is best expressed. In this sense, the renewed partnership with Unicoop Firenze, the sponsor of our theater season, is fundamental for us. Thanks to this collaboration, all Unicoop members will be able to take advantage of special discounts on tickets. Specifically, from September 2 to 12, a limited-time discount of up to 25% on season tickets at Pergola and Rifredi will be available.
Looking to the future, how do you envision the theater evolving as a space open to culture, encounters and socializing?
I envision the Teatro della Toscana as an increasingly indispensable social infrastructure, an inclusive and participatory “third place” between home and work. In a highly digitalized world, physical presence and human connection become even more precious. We will evolve toward a 24-hour cultural hub model, where people don’t just watch or participate, but directly contribute to the life of our theaters.
Photo credits Filippo Manzini
