At the Teatro della Pergola in view the genius of Filistrucchi Shop

An exhibition at the Teatro La Pergola in Florence, "Zeffirelli Filistrucchi, memoirs of an artistic ", held, from 28 March, and up to 16 April – then continue until 18 May in the exhibition halls of the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze -, recovery archive Filistrucchi, historic Florentine workshop, Since 1720, wigs and makeup, passed from father to son and to this day.

The charm and craftsmanship of these artisans has bewitched the well-known journalist Osvaldo Bevilacqua who came to Florence with his film crew to document their secrets, secrets that will be aired in the transmission Clear Variable Saturday 17 May at 17 su Rai 2, that will tell not only the company's business but also behind the scenes, anecdotes and the exhibition's.

Figurines, Photo, letters, theater programs, posters and accessories launching recount the moments of the theatrical career of Maestro Franco Zeffirelli through his association with the historic Bottega Fiorentina wigs and makeup Filistrucchi.

A sample, with more than 100 finds, sponsored and organized by the Association Observatory for arts and crafts in collaboration with Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and the Fondazione Teatro della Pergola, edited by Monica Gallai, that for 5 years he has worked at the recovery and cataloging of the entire patrimony of Bottega.

The show tells a story of friendship and professional that has its roots in the last century, Peter Filistrucchi when working in live theater setting Florentine Forties – where next to the Maggio Musicale festival flourished as the reality of the Fairy Tale Theatre and the University "L. Cherubini "- realized wigs and makeup talents to the scene between which included the young Zeffirelli, student of Luchino Visconti.

Told a meeting in the second section of the exhibition thanks to some letters of private correspondence between Peter and Franco Zeffirelli Filistrucchi – where a formal 'you' quickly gave way to a familiar 'tu' – which brings to light new aspects of the productions made with passion and dedication by the Florentine workshop.

So much to refuse a commission if the required quality from the demanding client could not be guaranteed (in 1956 "Carmen" by Bizet which was staged at the Teatro Stabile di Genova) or decide to close the laboratory to the public for 20 days while working with the right concentration to the execution of an important contract.

It so happened in the 1960 when Zeffirelli commissioned Peter Filistrucchi to achieve well- 93 wigs for "Alcina" in the scene at La Fenice in Venice. A provision for outstanding which Zeffirelli was grateful to Peter so much to write: "The work is superior to every comment. A provision such as the one I reconcile with Florence, with the Florentines, and with our occasional but higher quality. Thanks, truly from the heart ".

Along with the letters are espositi sketches and photographs to testify as the Master entrust to the Florentine workshop and the skillful hands of Peter for the creation of wigs and make-up scene.

It 'just to those figures – designed by the famous costume Zeffirelli and also by friends and associates, by Anna Anni Piero Tosi Maria de Matteis – then take that form those wigs that have helped artists such as Maria Callas to impersonate famous people on the scene.

At the famous soprano greek exhibition dedicated, It is not by chance, the third section. It was also thanks to Zeffirelli Callas appreciated the art of wearing wigs for Filistrucchi – as the fashion of the time dictated – even in moments of privacy.

Among the gems unearthed and proposals to the visitor "Zeffirelli Filistrucchi. Memoirs of an artistic "even an original red wig, worn by Callas for a '"Armida" by Rossini and that of Medea as well as a few strands of her hair-sample the soprano sent, with lots of handwritten correspondence, commission for its wigs day.

Finally, there are photographers and unpublished soprano at the Teatro Comunale in Florence. Among these, one of the 1952 that portrays her in the dressing room after the performance "I Puritani" with Gino Bartali and his wife Adriana Bani, recently scomparsa.

Another surprising snap finally Callas in the corridors of the Municipal, perhaps to end the show, holding a bouquet of fl owers and the book "Florence fi hours of the World" written by Papini, Puffs us, Bargellini and Spadolini in 1950.

Enhanced by a backdrop of original clothes Cerratelli Foundation and a board narrating moments of the shop and the people who collaborated with Peter, The exhibition concludes with the section 'Major Works'. From "Don Giovanni" at "La Lupa", Anna Magnani con, up to the magnificent "La Traviata" in the 1984 at the Teatro Comunale in Florence.

"With this exhibition - said Gabriele and Gherardo Filistrucci, father and son – we wanted to start telling, through a small part of our extensive archive, load so many memories accumulated over nearly three hundred years of activity, a slice of the history of our shop, in how it is defined in an increasingly concrete ideas appear and the relationship of letters that accompanied. We hope, indeed we are sure, can shine through this exhibition, the greatness of Peter, artist and artigiano Maestro, that with his skill and sensitivity has managed to embody the desires iconographic recounted in these beautiful figurines on display here today. Skill and passion transmitted to Donella always present so that more active in the life of the shop while remaining always humbly behind the scenes. Forse Donella, if this, would smile a little ', aside as she used to and, would be happy and excited to see his father and told our work. As she in fact have been transmitted the secrets of the craft by working with passion in studio, also has been able to turn instinctively convey the love for the workshop and theater. This exhibition is dedicated to Peter and Donella Filistrucchi ".

The birth of the company dates back to Filistrucchi 1720, at a time when Florence was the last regent Grand Duke of Tuscany belonging to the Medici dynasty, Giangastone (1671 – 1737).

At that time in history the "coiffeur" was also barber, parruccaio, apothecary, flebotomo, profumiere, hairdresser and make-up for women than for men.

This was the era in which the wig, legacy of the '600 and accessory in an upward trend, was used by nobles, dame, knights and servants. The need for “transform” for the scenic representations increasingly in use, gave the impression Bottega theatrical.

Filistrucchi worked with the most important theaters in the city, from the Teatro della Pergola at the Teatro del Watermelon become in 1859, Teatro Niccolini, but also in the smaller theaters such as the Teatro wanted the fairy tale and directed by Countess Flavia Farina Cini and the Teatrino di via Laura demolished in 1959, seat until then the University Theater Center that saw the first steps of the young Alfredo Bianchini, Franco Zeffirelli, Paolo Poli, Giorgio Albertazzi and many other actors of merit.

From then until the present day workshop Filistrucchi has worked with major Italian opera houses as La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice, the Massimo of Palermo and San Carlo of Naples, then abroad The Metropolitan Opera in New York, Civic Opera of Dallas, Opera Boston.

From the first Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, inaugurated 23 April 1933 con Nabucco, Filistrucchi collaborated with the most famous directors such as Luchino Visconti, Giorgio Strehler, and Luca Ronconi and costume designers such as Alberto Savino, Mino Maccari, Gino Carlo Sensani, Maria De Matteis, Anna matter to, per l’ preparation of the sumptuous shows; suffice it to mention Dream of a Midsummer Night's housed in the magnificent setting of the Boboli Gardens always in '33, The Giants of the Mountain always in the Boboli Maggio Musicale '37, and yet Armida (M.M.F. 1952) with Maria Callas, with sets and costumes by Alberto Savino, the sumptuous Aidadel 1969 with figurines of Prince Enrico of Assisi, Medea with Maria Callas '52, and Troilus and Cressida in 1949 directed by Luchino Visconti and Franco Zeffirelli.

Just by Franco Zeffirelli that developed over the years an intense collaboration. At first Don Giovanni's 1958 in Naples and still in Dallas along with La Traviata sung by Maria Callas, then with Anna Magnani La Lupa in 1960, the year dell'Alcina represented at La Fenice in Venice and then to the Civic Opera of Dallas, then Euridice in the same year at the Boboli Gardens, and Romeo and Juliet's 1965. Not the least of his unforgettable Traviata 1984 at the Teatro Comunale in Florence.

Many great personalities of the drama theater, Music and dance, along with lesser-known “Dramatic societies” and young hopefuls who over many years have attended the workshop.

We mention some of the Drama Theatre: Ermete Zacconi, Eduardo de Filippo, Giorgio Albertazzi, Anna Magnani. Anna Proclemer, Annamaria Guarnieri, Rossella Falk, Romolo Valli, Giancarlo Giannini, Alberto Lionello; for dance: Kyra Nijinsky, Carla Fracci, Aurelio Milloss, Maurice Béjart; Music for the Theatre: Call Maria, Renata Tebaldi, Fedora Barbieri, Tito Gobbi, Alfredo Kraus, Mario Del Monaco, Piero Cappuccilli, Luciano Pavarotti, with many of whom he established a relationship of true friendship: Ettore Bastianini, Renato Bruson, Gino Bechi, Rolando Panerai,and later Aldo Reggioli, Paul Washington that even out of the scene which they used to attend the workshop venue to continue to talk about the show and not only that.

AND’ was through these experiences that the tradition has been handed down from father to son, in a path that starts from the idea and appear and, passing through the work of parruccaio and make-up artist to transform the "person" in "character", takes the form until it reaches the most perfect "metamorphosis" scenic character to represent. The tradition has been able to perpetuate itself for almost three hundred years only by combining the passion for the work of artisans to the great Love of Theatre.

Frank Mariani

By the number 11 – The Year of 26/03/2014

Zeffirelli Filistrucchi
Memoirs of an artistic
by Monica Gallai with the collaboration of Gabriel and Gherardo Filistrucchi
Exhibit design Stefano Maurri
Graphic design by Miriam Frescura
Installations for Elena Bianchini
Until 16 April
Free admission - The exhibition respects the opening hours of the Teatro della Pergola
For more information 055 22641– 055 5384964/965
www.teatrodellapergola.com
www.osservatoriomestieridarte.it

 

Catalog
Zeffirelli Filistrucchi. Memoirs of an artistic
by Monica Gallai collaboration with Gabriele and Gherardo Filistrucchi
and. Polisti – € 10.00 – p. 96