It was June 20, 1996, exactly 28 years ago, when Joan Osborne took to the stage at Novi Sad Park to sing with Luciano Pavarotti. The previous year, her hit “One of us” had gone around the world, making her extremely popular: Joan was therefore called to be part of the supercast of “Pavarotti & friends”, together with Elton John, Zucchero, Eric Clapton and Ligabue. Joan and the big Luciano were the protagonists of a duet, “Gesù Bambino”, a medley of Christmas-themed songs, together with the Esst London Gospel Choir. “Singing with the extraordinary Maestro Pavarotti was truly incredible – Joan Osborne recalls in a video, also released yesterday on social media -. And Modena remains a special place for me”.
Perhaps Joan Osborne would never have imagined coming back here, finding this city again. And instead life often has surprises in store for you. Tonight at 9 pm she will be the one to inaugurate the Modena Summer program with the eagerly awaited concert at the Giardini Ducali (free admission), organized in synergy with the “Note al Lennon” festival in Castelnuovo Rangone. The American singer-songwriter will be accompanied by a band with Jono Manson (second voice and guitar), Jon Graboff (guitar and pedal steel) and Riccardo Maccabruni (piano, organ and accordion).
Originally from Kentucky and a New Yorker by adoption, Joan Osborne boasts a career that includes numerous platinum records and eight Grammy Award nominations. Her first studio album, “Relish”, was a worldwide success in the 90s, and the single “One of us” made Joan a star: the song was also translated into several languages, and in Italy Eugenio Finardi performed his version, “Uno di noi”. Riding the crest of the wave for more than 30 years, she ranges from rock to country to blues to folk. Opening the evening at the Gardens will be Ellen River, a singer-songwriter from Modena who has always had the great American horizons in her eyes (and in her music). “Overseas music, and in particular that of folk, rock and country singer-songwriters – she confides – is a love that I have carried in my heart since I was a little girl”.
The summer at the Giardini will continue tomorrow with the national premiere of “My different years – Beyond inclusion”, the short film written by Gianni Ricci, directed by Francesco Zarzana, which tells the difficulties and joys of Gregorio, a boy special. During the evening there will be a performance by Rock’n Rulli and a tribute to the psychiatrist Camillo Valgimigli.
Stephen Marchetti
