Some works of art live forever, not simply because they’re framed in a museum, but because they make us feel something timeless. That was the spirit behind Infinito: The Eternal Work of Art, the Engage!25 Tuscany Gala. Castelfalfi’s Aria Ballroom became a Renaissance canvas for the occasion. But this was no museum piece. Art came alive in full color and movement, inviting guests to become part of a living Renaissance painting. They didn’t just witness the art but stepped into the frame. Through shifting perspectives, hidden tableaux, and mirrored reflections, the event offered a reminder that art isn’t something we visit, but something we carry with us.
Décor & Details
Creative Director Vincenzo Dascanio dreamed up the concept of Infinito as a tribute to the power of imagination. The vision was to reimagine the Renaissance as a living, breathing experience. So it’s no surprise that walking into the ballroom for the first time felt like stepping into a canvas. But unlike a traditional masterpiece, this one shimmered with life. Figures seemed to emerge from paintings. Large screens showcased some of the great Renaissance artworks. Meanwhile, chandeliers and hanging florals cast their shadows on marbled walls.
Long reflective tables snaked from one end of the room to the other, a Baroque fantasy of lavish florals, gilded glassware, and glowing candlelight. Mirrors were featured on the tables and on the walls, not only to play with scale and perception but to reflect the guests themselves. Their Mona Lisa smiles were framed by these mirrors through the night, along with expressions of joy, surprise, and sheer delight. Every detail, every corner of the gala was designed to remind us of the wonder of being present in a moment of collective creativity. Like the art that inspired it, the Engage!25 Tuscany Gala was layered, symbolic, and transformative.
The Stationery
As always, TPD Design House’s paper elements played a key role in the evening’s storytelling. Attendees found their places in a gallery of framed miniatures, echoing the ornate frames that adorned tables and walls. At each place setting, the menus featured a clever optical illusion. A classical Renaissance portrait gave a knowing wink, a playful nod to the way the night would bend expectations and bring art alive.
Food & Beverages
The meal at the Engage!25 Tuscany gala was a celebration of classic flavors presented with modern flair. Guests started with an antipasto of Tuna Tartare. This was followed by a stunning saffron risotto enriched with bone marrow. It was a dish as golden and luxurious as the setting. The main course featured tender beef fillet with a rich mushroom sauce and delicate potato millefeuille. Dessert was light yet indulgent: a ricotta cheese Bavaroise paired with yuzu and peaches.
Even the cocktails echoed the night’s artistic theme. The Donatello was a refined blend of citrus vodka, pear, and lemongrass and offered a vibrant, slightly spicy kick. The non-alcoholic Botticelli, with green apple and bergamot, was just as delicious. Each sip, like every element of the night, was rich and reinventive – the Renaissance spirit in liquid form.
Entertainment
Throughout the night, a variety of performers helped to contribute to a sense of movement and metamorphosis. Perhaps the most stirring moment came with a performance of Time to Say Goodbye. It was delivered by powerful operatic voices, a string ensemble, and graceful ballet dancers in Renaissance ruffles. Later, the Brooklyn Soul band took over with a high-energy set of soul, disco, and R&B classics, lifting the tempo and filling the dance floor. Between cabaret moments and a late-night DJ set, the night continued to evolve, like art itself, into something endlessly spontaneous and joyful.
The Attire: Renaissance Revisited
Engage!-ers met the Engage!25 Tuscany Gala dress code, Renaissance Revisited, with their usual creativity and flair. Think velvet gowns in rich jewel tones, silk blouses embroidered with golden thread, brocade jackets, capes, corsets, and intricate accessories that would make the Medici proud. While the palette paid homage to the past, the styling was modern and bold. It added to the sense of guests becoming part of the night’s living exhibition. Fashion, like the setting, became part of the spectacle.
All in all, the Engage!25 Tuscany Gala was the grand finale of an extraordinary few days together. It was a night where imagination found form, and every element reminded us of the beauty in gathering, sharing, and celebrating with intention. And just as Leonardo da Vinci said that art is never finished, only abandoned, we eventually abandoned this collective artwork to our memories, where it will always live on.
To step back into this unforgettable evening, view the full photo gallery here.
