From Pistoia to the great courts of Europe: discover the remarkable story of Atto Melani.
Born in Pistoia in 1626, Atto Melani became an internationally celebrated Baroque singer, as well as a diplomat, informant and secret agent moving between the powerful European courts of the seventeenth century. Four hundred years after his birth, the historic Biblioteca Forteguerriana celebrates his extraordinary life with the exhibition ATTO 400 – Da Pistoia a Parigi: diplomatico per vocazione, cantante per forza.
Curated by Rita Monaldi, Francesco Sorti, Theodora Maria Sorti and Gianni Pittiglio, the exhibition brings together archival material and historical documentation to illuminate Melani's connections to music, politics and Pistoia. Discover this lesser-known chapter of the city's international history inside one of its most atmospheric historic libraries.
Dates: 9 October – 31 December 2026. Admission: free. Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:00 am–1:30 pm; Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 am–1:30 pm and 3:00–5:30 pm. Closed on weekends; verify any holiday changes.
Location: Biblioteca Forteguerriana, Piazza della Sapienza 5, Pistoia. Information: +39 0573 371452; forteguerriana@comune.pistoia.it.
Official source: Comune di Pistoia.