Exactly one year ago the Conservatory received from the Municipality the spaces that were used by the University of Insubria in viale Cavallotti.
Twelve months later, however, no adaptation work has started and the premises remain empty. In fact, the musicians have not yet received the money they expected to receive from a ministerial tender.
«It’s disheartening – explains the director of the Verdi Conservatory of Como Vittorio Zago – we have been waiting a long time for the outcome of the tender to redevelop the property as agreed. I hoped to be able to announce the arrival of the funds already last year or at least at the beginning of 2024, but there is still no substantial news from Rome. The commission that must evaluate the submitted projects has been appointed.”
With the premises in viale Cavallotti the Conservatory could count on 24% more square meters than it has in use today. However, as mentioned, the financing is missing. One million and 200 thousand euros are needed to adapt the rooms, two large rooms on the ground floor in particular. In addition to an effort with its own resources amounting to a total of around 700 thousand euros, the ministerial tender dedicated to high artistic education was expected. Without this sum the Conservatory was considering opening a mortgage. A small contribution of 40 thousand euros was instead recognized by the De Ponti Foundation.
«For the moment we have not been able to start the works – says Zago – nor obviously use the new spaces». The hope was to leave during the year and arrive ready for the next academic year, now upon us.
The concession signed by the Municipality is valid for 19 years free of charge and is renewable. After the press conference in May 2023 to make the announcement, the signature was only reached in September. In 2022 Insubria had moved the nursing course to the spaces vacated by the Polytechnic around via Castelnuovo, where the reopening of the lecture hall is still awaited. Since then, the previous municipal administration had already ordered the transfer of the premises to the Conservatory. For years, Como’s musicians have been too cramped in the main venue in via Cadorna, and have even been forced to reject dozens of admission applications. The need for Conservatory classrooms has been such for over a decade, so much so that in the past musicians have even knocked on the doors of Sant’Anna to use some empty spaces around the clinic in via Napoleona. Viale Cavallotti would be used more for teaching and exams than for rehearsals and ensemble performances.
In the prestigious adjacent building, other neighbors remain in via Cavallotti, the Casartelli museum and the Carducci association, which, as is known, in recent months the municipal administration has given a thumbs up to and has asked for the return of its headquarters. A thorny situation not yet resolved. The intention is to move the Volta Foundation into via Cavallotti to better enhance the Nobel room, adjacent to the Casartelli museum.
