Culture is the common thread linking the events of the Elban autumn, including books, music, cinema, history and contemporary art: a range of proposals to experience Elba from this point of view as well, always with an eye on the Bicentennial of Napoleon.

Elba Island Music of Europe 2021 from Aug. 26 to Sept. 12

The festival, now in its 25th edition, brings together musicians from all over the world each year to share in the re-creation of musical masterpieces of all times in an unparalleled setting, being inspired by an extraordinarily lush, wild and welcoming territory at the same time, a magical place steeped in history where the enchantment of the landscape naturally blends with art and a simple way of life in harmony with nature. Also in 2021 the festival confirms its broad artistic vision, spanning repertoires temporally and stylistically far apart, offering as usual also appointments dedicated to jazz. The artistic direction is by George Edelman, creator and co-founder of the festival. A special moment will be dedicated to Napoleon, a great admirer of Haydn, whose Quartets with different performers at three Napoleonic venues.

Ph: Angie Kremer

Elba Island International Literary Award - Raffaele Brignetti Saturday, September 4, 2021

Back in September is the 49th edition of the Elba Literary Prize, directed by Prof. Alberto Brandani, one of Italy's best-known and most influential literary awards, which over the years has honored authors of the caliber of Heinrich Böll, Eugenio Montale, Mario Luzi, Michel Tournier, Alberto Bevilacqua, and Margarete Buber-Neumann.

Competing for victory in this edition will be Italian by Giuseppe Catozzella (Mondadori), Il gioco delle ultime volte by Margherita Oggero (Einaudi) and Quel maledetto Vronskij by Claudio Piersanti (Rizzoli). The works, selected by the Literary Jury, are now submitted to the Popular Jury. The winner will be announced on September 4 and awarded the same day in Portoferraio at the Linguella Archaeological Museum.

EFF - Elba Film Festival September 14-18, 2021

An ever-growing success accompanies the third edition of the EFF - Elba Film Festival, the event dedicated to independent cinema, one of the most dynamic sectors of cinematography. Many films submitted (in 2020 there were more than 500 applications for the competition) from all over the world. The festival is conceived by Nora Jaenicke, director and screenwriter, and curated by Beniamino Brogi, actor, Programming Director. EFF confirms the island of Elba as a prime location for independent productions, which choose to shoot on Elba favored by the optimal logistical conditions and the presence of a wide variety of sets in a contained area.

Ph: Roberto Ridi

In the sign of Napoleon: the Uffizi spread to the island of Elba (Portoferraio) until Oct. 10, 2021

The exhibition, which marks the beginning of the relationship between Elba and the Uffizi, highlights the very strong connection between the French emperor and the island of Elba, the site of his exile from May 1814 to February 1815 through a selection of works from the Uffizi and the enhancement of the treasures of the Pinacoteca Foresiana in Portoferraio. Among the works on display is one of Napoleon's iconic images. It is the famous portrait painted on porcelain by the Sèvres Manufactory in 1810 by the decorator Jean Georget that depicts the Emperor at the height of his splendor. Also on display is the Penitent Magdalene by Giuseppe Bezzuoli, to whom the Uffizi has announced it will dedicate an exhibition in the coming year; the work is part of the collection of the Pinacoteca Foresiana in Portoferraio.

Luigi Ontani: ElbAlbAmena (Marciana) until Oct. 31, 2021

Luigi Ontani, painter, sculptor and photographer, a world-renowned eclectic artist celebrates his love for the island, his tribute to the myth Napoleon and his intimate connection with the legacy of the Etruscans, of which our very museum preserves evidence.

Three works on display, the sculpture NapoleonCentaurOntan o which combines a refined symbolic system of signs and visions with the Napoleonic myth of the island of Elba, reaffirming its relevance and creative value.

Napoleon's bicentennial

The initiatives for Napoleon's Bicentennial continue. Elba has decided to celebrate its most illustrious guest with activities that touch the island at 360 degrees: trekking routes, meetings, book presentations, exhibitions, wine and food tastings and insights, and re-enactments.