Mercantia lights up Certaldo in the name of Dante

The 33rd edition of the highly anticipated festival returns to the village of Certaldo this summer after having missed last year’s event due to the pandemic. From July 15 to 18, Certaldo lights up in the name of Dante, to whom the event is dedicated. “… And so we went out to see the stars again” is the subtitle of the events series that will also remember Giulietta Masina – leading actress of the film “La strada” – on the centenary of her birth.

Calendar of events

As every year, theater will be the highlight of the programme, with shows dedicated to the Commedia. Benedetta Giuntini’s monologue in “Le Dantesche” also becomes an installation and a multimedia performance directed by Firenza Guidi. There are numerous shows on the calendar, such as “C’era due volte un piede” with Veronica Gonzalez and the marionettes of “Pu-Pazzi d’amore”.

The historic village will be immersed in Dante’s poetry thanks to installations, largescale paintings, video mapping, living paintings and shows that will envelop the public. In piazza Santissima Annunziata, in the streets of the village and on the facades of the buildings there will be video projections and living paintings. There will also be a painting inspired by the three Cantiche of the Divine Comedy, Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, in the project titled “Three painters for Dante” coordinated by Fabio Calvetti.

Tributes to Giulietta Masina are included into this extraordinary atmosphere: every evening, the trumpeter Giuseppe Alberti will close the programme by performing the theme of her unforgettable Gelsomina.

The crafts market

As is tradition, there will be a crafts market in the streets of the upper village, made even more engaging by artistic installations, light projections and an open-air painting exhibition in three of the characteristic alleys, with a scenographic artistic installation in the parterre of Palazzo Pretorio. There will be artisan workshops in every part of the village, from metal and stone processing to binding, carving and wood inlay, with a particular look at traditional local craftsmanship.

How to participate

The shows will start at 8.15pm on Thursdays and Sundays, and 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays. According to anti-Covid regulations, access to the upper part of the village will be from 7pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For more info see www.mercantiacertaldo.it