I’m back from a week full of music were together with KorMalta we did a tour in the North of Italy that included 3 concerts and an opera!
It all started in the picturesque village of Smarano, where on the 19th of July we performed in the church of Santa Maria Assunta as part of the Smarano Academy Music Festival 2022. In the concert we were joined on organ by Maestro Edoardo Bellotti, artistic director of the International Academy of Smarano. Music by Ludovico Fogliano (1490 – 1548), Claudio Monteverdi (1567 – 1643) and Benigno Zarafa (1726 – 1804) among others was sung at this beautiful location.
Our next stop was Castell’Arquato. We stayed here for four days, and as part of the Festival Illica we performed in a concert and an opera. On the 22nd of July we sung in the Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta. This church, built between 1117 and 1122 with various alterations added throughout the centuries, made the perfect ambient for the music performed in that night. In this concert we were also accompanied by Maestro Edoardo Bellotti.
On the day after, it was time for the opera performance of Le Maschere with music by Pietro Mascagni and an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. KorMalta together with an Italian chorus and an amazing cast performed in the beautiful square of the medieval village of Castell’Arquato under the baton of Mro. Jacopo Brusa.
Our last stop was in Bologna. As part of the Voci Nei Chiostri Festival, on the 24th of July we performed a selection of early and modern music in the church of San Procolo.
An intense and fruitful week came to an end with many memories to cherish. A big thanks to our choir master Mro. Riccardo Bianchi and to the Arts Council Malta for the opportunity!