Opera concert in Santa Monaca church
About an hour of opera arias with a grand piano in a former convent church in the Oltrarno. A printed programme and a visit to a painting are listed, and free cancellation runs until 24 hours before.
See dates ↗Why this church
Why hear opera in a Florentine convent church
The city where opera began
Opera's first works were written in Florence around 1600, and Peri's Euridice, performed at Palazzo Pitti in 1600, is the earliest opera score that survives. Palazzo Pitti stands on the same south bank of the Arno as the church. A recital of arias here is not a replica of those first operas, but it keeps their basic ingredients: a trained voice, a keyboard and a room small enough to hear every word.
A room that was built for voices
Santa Monaca was the church of an Augustinian convent. Wooden choir stalls line both walls, a stone-framed altar carries a painted altarpiece, and Cosimo Ulivelli's vault fresco dates from 1700. The church is deconsecrated now and used for concerts, and the chairs are set in rows before the piano.
One hour, then the Oltrarno
The recital runs about an hour, which slots between a day of museums and dinner. Guests describe it as an easy first opera. The church sits in the Oltrarno, on a small street between Piazza del Carmine and Piazza Santo Spirito, which makes the evening a walk across the river as well as a concert.
Arias you may hear
Six arias of the kind you may hear
A recital of opera arias lifts the best-known solos out of their operas and strings them into an hour. These six are by composers the booking page names, and each has a story that takes a minute to read.
Programmes change with the date and the singers. None of these is promised for your evening.
The room
The room in four facts
Santa Monaca is a former convent church, not a theatre. These four facts come from the city's tourist board and the booking page.
- Via Santa Monaca 6
- The church stands on a small street between Piazza del Carmine and Piazza Santo Spirito, in the Oltrarno. It is not the large Carmine church on Piazza del Carmine.
- A convent from 1442
- Augustinian nuns from Castiglion Fiorentino took refuge in Florence during the 1442 war with Milan. Camilla Martelli, later the morganatic wife of Cosimo I de' Medici, was educated at the convent.
- A vault of 1700
- Cosimo Ulivelli painted the vault fresco, The Glory of San Martino, in 1700. The wooden choir and organ were built in the 17th century.
- A concert hall since 1800
- The religious order was suppressed in 1800, and the building had other uses, including a charity nursery school. It is now deconsecrated and hosts concerts, exhibitions and events.
Inside and around
The church in pictures
The nave set for a concert, the altar wall and piano, the organ case, a window high on the wall, a round stone window on the street, and two Oltrarno landmarks.
Florence concerts to compare
Three Florence concerts to compare
| Concert | What it offers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Opera concert in Santa Monaca church | About an hour of opera arias with a grand piano in a former convent church in the Oltrarno. A printed programme and a visit to a painting are listed, and free cancellation runs until 24 hours before. | Listeners who want arias in a small frescoed room on the south bank of the Arno. |
| Opera concert entrance ticket, Santa Croce | A separate listing for an arias recital sung by professional singers with a pianist, in a church in the Santa Croce neighbourhood. The repertoire and the singers change every night, and cancellation is free until 24 hours before. | Travellers who would rather stay in the Santa Croce neighbourhood. |
| Evening classical concert featuring Vivaldi | An orchestral evening of Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart and Pachelbel by the Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina, with three seat options and two venues. Cancellation is free until 24 hours before. | Listeners who prefer an orchestra and instrumental music to arias. |
Opera and concerts in Florence
Book an opera or classical evening in Florence
The first card opens the Santa Monaca concert. The second is another arias recital with a pianist, in a church in the Santa Croce neighbourhood, and the third is an orchestral evening of Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart and Pachelbel. Further Florence bookings sit in the strip beneath them.
Opera concert entrance ticket, Santa Croce
A separate listing for an arias recital sung by professional singers with a pianist, in a church in the Santa Croce neighbourhood. The repertoire and the singers change every night, and cancellation is free until 24 hours before.
See dates ↗Evening classical concert featuring Vivaldi
An orchestral evening of Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart and Pachelbel by the Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina, with three seat options and two venues. Cancellation is free until 24 hours before.
See dates ↗More to book in Florence
Plan the evening
Plan the evening
Find the right church
The concert is at Via Santa Monaca 6, on a small street between Piazza del Carmine and Piazza Santo Spirito. The large church on Piazza del Carmine is not the venue.
Start time
The calendar lists open dates and times; your confirmation names the time and where to meet.
At the interval
Wine is sold during the interval and paid for separately. The ticket covers no food or drink, so fit dinner around the concert.
The programme
A printed programme is listed with the ticket. The singers and arias change with the date, so treat any named piece as a possibility.
Children
The GetYourGuide ticket is not suitable for children under 5.
Before or after
An hour leaves the evening free. The Oltrarno's squares, Piazza Santo Spirito and Piazza del Carmine, are on either side of the church's street.
Santa Monaca, opera and the Oltrarno: guides
Santa Monaca, opera and the Oltrarno: guides
Which concert, and how to book Santa Monaca church opera tickets
How to book the opera concert in Florence's Santa Monaca church: what the ticket covers, who sings, which church it is and how to pick a date.
Read the guide → Getting there and the evening Finding the Santa Monaca church
How to find the Santa Monaca church in Florence's Oltrarno, which larger church not to confuse it with, and how the hour-long concert evening runs.
Read the guide →FAQ
Before you book the concert
Is the Santa Monaca concert a full opera?
No. It is a concert of opera arias sung by professional singers with a grand piano, about an hour long, with no staged production, sets or orchestra.
Which church is Santa Monaca?
A former convent church at Via Santa Monaca 6, on a small street between Piazza del Carmine and Piazza Santo Spirito. It is not the large Carmine church on Piazza del Carmine.
Which operas will I hear?
That depends on the date. The booking page names Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, Bellini and Mascagni, and no single aria is promised for any evening.
How long does the concert last?
The GetYourGuide ticket lists one hour. The start time and where to meet are named in your confirmation.
Is food or drink included?
No. Wine is sold in the interval and paid for separately, so eat before or after the concert.
What is the painting included with the ticket?
The ticket lists a free visit to The Battle of Anghiari by Nico Paladini, with a description. It is billed as inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's lost mural of the same battle.
Do I need to know opera?
No. An aria is a solo number, complete in itself, and the printed programme names each piece. One guest calls the concert a good way to get acquainted with opera.
Can I cancel the booking?
Yes. A refund in full is possible until a day before the concert, and a date can be held without paying straight away.
Are children welcome?
The GetYourGuide ticket is not suitable for children under 5. For older children, judge whether an hour of seated listening suits them.
An hour of Verdi, Rossini and Puccini arias in a Florentine convent church, with a grand piano before the altar.
Reserve a seat at the recital ↗Fares shown are per adult in US dollars; GetYourGuide converts them to your own currency at checkout.