It is in the sign of prodigies, that is, events that transcend the natural order of things and that allow us to remain listening to the present with different eyesthe twelfth edition of Visionary Monzathe festival organized by the cultural association Musicamorfosi, scheduled from Friday 3 to Sunday 12 May 2024 in the most evocative places and lesser-known corners of the capital of Brianza: ten days of music, immersive performances, dances, workshops, visits
visionary and so on.
She is the Cuban pianist and composer Jany McPhersonan emerging star on the international scene, endowed with an unmistakable style and an innate sense of rhythm, to inaugurate Friday 3 May at 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm, with a double set on piano only at Royal Palace of Monza (Hall of Mirrors, ticket 15 euros at the door), the 2024 edition of the festival with its sunny jazz, inspired by the sound of the Buena Vista Social Club. Before Jany McPherson’s concerts, the bistro inside the Villa Reale offers Three aperitifs designed as a tribute to Cuba: the Savoia (Cubito or drink of your choice and chips) at 7 euros, the Umberto I (Cubito or drink of your choice accompanied by a small plate of mixed aperitif) at 15 euros and the Imperiale (Cubito or drink of your choice, flute of prosecco and accompanying royal platter) for 20 euros.
Jazz, but not only: as always, Visionary Monza it also gives space to classical music, enhancing the excellence of the territory. Among the events on the agenda they stand out Saturday 4 Mayagain at the Royal Palace of Monza (Sala degli Specchi): from 10.30 to 15.30 the piano marathon of the best students of the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Milan (in collaboration with the Gioventù Musicale Foundation and the Conservatory itself; entry with access ticket to the Palace); at 4.00 pm and 5.30 pm, however, the double concert with piano tasting of the master Scipione Sangiovanni on the Tallone grand piano n.1, supported in the first appointment by the master restorer Mauro Masters (ticket 5 euros).
Two appointments open the day Sunday 5 May: from 10.30am (and until 6.30pm) at i Gardens of the Royal Palace of Monza are scheduled Visionary visits: wearing wireless headphones, the public can lose themselves discovering a magical and enchanted place, guided by an engaging audio (available in Italian and, for the first time, also in English to satisfy the growing requests of foreign visitors; participation with free donation). In the Throne Room, however, the show is staged in four performances at 10.30, 11.30, 16.00 and 17.30 Betty Boopbased on a series of cartoons set to live music for adults and children: a journey into the universe of Betty Boop, sensual queen of the imagination and hot jazz diva of the 1930s, to whom the singer Simona Severiniaccompanied by three talented musicians such as Gabriele Boggio Ferraris on the vibraphone, Massimiliano Milesi on sax and Alessandro Rossi on drums (tickets 6-9 euros).
Monday 6 May at 9.00 pm the festival moves to the Church of Santa Maria al Carrobiolohome of the German saxophonist’s sacred concert Nicole Johänntgen who, leading an unconventional pocket brass band (completed by Jon Hansen to the tuba e David Stauffacher on percussion), pays homage to Duke Ellington with an emotional spiritual performance (free admission with free donation and online booking recommended).
Speaking of the Duke: the project moves between Ellington and the Beatles Wood Tales in double bass only that Jacopo Ferrazzacrystalline talent on the national scene and fresh winner of New Jazz Generationpresents Tuesday 7 May at 9.00 pm Curt Long (free entry with free donation; booking recommended on the website): that of the young jazz musician from Lazio is an intimate and confidential dialogue in search of every single note, exploiting all the grains of his instrument.
Three appointments Visionary Monza scheduled on the day of Wednesday 8 May. We leave at 3.30pm with
a musical workshop curated by Alessandro Rossione of the most eclectic jazz drummers around, who meets the guys from Carrobiolo Educational Centeran inclusive place with a high social vocation in the city, engages with them and plays in a workshop open to all abilities, the final moment of the project Every place is a meeting of the Monza and Brianza Foundation. Shortly afterwards, at 7.00 pm at the Carrobiolo Librarythe oldest place in Monza, space for the concert of Alessandro Rossi and his trio (with Michele Bonifati on the electric guitar and Manuel Caliumi on alto sax: Heartbeat it is a musical journey in which there are no stylistic boundaries and where the interplay between the three instrumentalists is continuous (free entry with free donation). In conclusion of day, at 8.00 pm, there is the possibility of have dinner with the Musicamorfosi staff and the musicians Rossi, Bonifati and Caliumi to the En3 restaurant in via Volturno: for the occasion, the emerging artist will perform at 9.30pm Østrik quartet feat. Oliseh Francesco Obiarinzewhich features a tribute to JJ Johnson, considered by many to be the greatest trombonist in the history of jazz.
The highlight of the twelfth edition of Visionary Monza It’s the one on the agenda Thursday 9 May at 9.00 pm Theater
Manzoni of Monza with the event entitled Giovanni Falzone Three Generations feat. Henry Rava: three generations of trumpeters – represented by the young talent Paolo Petreccaby the great master Giovanni Falzone and by the tutelary deity Enrico Rava – give life to a concert dedicated to original compositions by Falzone and Rava, as well as a handful of standards. Sharing the stage with the three trumpeters is a very young rhythm section, made up of Diego Albini at the piano, Enrico Palmieri on double bass and Antonio Marmora to the drums (ticket 18 euros at the door).
The appointment was stimulating and unusual Friday 10 May at 9.00 pm when at Royal Palace of Monzain the environments that host some masterpieces of contemporary art, takes place Ritemeeting of sound, indefinite and contrasting architectures with the Sardinian musician Zoe Pia (clarinet, cowbells and launeddas) and Swedish Mats Gustafsson (baritone sax and flute): the two give life to a ritual that is a real fracture of the daily routine, suspension of the ordinary, break from normality (ticket 10 euros).
Saturday 11 May space for classical music withCanova Chamber Orchestradirected by the maestro Enrico Saverio Paganoand the tenor Thomas Hobbs that to Royal Palace of Monza they try their hand at Little nocturnal serenades, namely Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn and strings and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasy on a Theme of Thomas Tallis. The open rehearsal is scheduled for 6.30 pm, the concert in the Hall of Mirrors at 9.00 pm (ticket 15 euros).
At the same time, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May from 6.30 pm to 10.00 pm they are on stage – new this year – i
Nights in the Palacewith stations dotted with live music to savor contemporary art and design as a backdrop in a location that couldn’t be more exclusive, while from 9.30pm until midnight spectators can be enchanted by the magic of Nights in the Rose Gardenthe historic Musicamorfosi format based on shows, performances, dances and musical marathon which has always characterized the grand finale of Visionary Monza (ticket 15 euros at the door).
For further information, the updated program and booking methods, consult the site of Visionary Monza.
