GENOA – An absolute and unpublished first performance inspired by the film “Interstellar” by Christopher Nolan, the opportunity to listen to Martin Baker, Master of Music of Westminster Cathedral in London from 2000 to 2019, and Philippe Lefebvre, organist emeritus of Notre Cathedral Dame in Paris, as well as a concert in the rare organ and orchestra formation. The 26th International Organ Festival “Sacred Harmonies Traveling the Lands of Liguria”organized by the Rapallo Musica ETS Association with the artistic direction by Fabio Macera and Filippo Torrereturns with a musical itinerary that runs through the entire region from 23 July to 25 August 2024 and with a program full of new features. They are seventeen concertsto Free admissionand are held in eleven locations covering the whole of Liguria, from Ventimiglia to Cornigliapassing through Sanremo, Cervo, Laigueglia, Recco, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Chiavari, Sestri Levante, Lavagna. The Festival is organized with the patronage and contribution of the Ministry of Culture, the Liguria Region, the municipalities hosting the event, under the high patronage of the European Parliament and with the patronage of Rai Liguria. Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo is the largest supporter.
«Year after year – declares the interim president of the Liguria Region Alessandro Piana – this event is confirmed as one of the cultural pillars of our region: a festival promoted with passion by the Rapallo Musica Association which represents a real journey through the musical and historical-architectural wonders of Liguria. Each edition allows us to rediscover and enhance the rich organ heritage that our territory preserves, offering the public the opportunity to listen to extraordinary interpretations by internationally renowned musicians. The importance of this Festival lies not only in its artistic excellence, but also in its role as guardian and promoter of local musical traditions. The ancient organs that resonate in our churches are witnesses of a long history of devotion and art and thanks to the ‘sacred harmonies’ they come back to life, to dialogue with the present and with the territory offering unique and unrepeatable emotions, with the desire to pass on a heritage of inestimable value. Furthermore, the variety of programs and the quality of the interpreters involved are a guarantee of an ever new and compelling experience, attracting visitors and tourists from all over the world.”
For over a quarter of a century, the objective of “Sacred harmonies along the lands of Liguria” has been enhance the extraordinary organ building heritage of Liguria with the execution of great Italian and international concert performers who from year to year have made their voices heard again in the churches and oratories where they are kept, places of art and spirituality. As the editions passed, more and more space was reserved for contamination between expressive genres and to theinnovation. For this reason, the presence of a text by Jules Verne, the attention to choral formations with three events in which the human voice joins the powerful sound of the organ, the “New paths” section with ten concerts made with the support of the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundationit “Youth Space” with five evenings dedicated to emerging talents.
The 26th International Organ Festival “Sacred Harmonies Traveling the Lands of Liguria” opens on 23 July (9.30 pm) a Deerin the province of Imperia, with one absolute novelty presented in collaboration with the 61st Cervo International Chamber Music Festival, which also inaugurates the “New paths” section. In the Church of S. Giovanni Battista you can attend the first performance of “Interstellar”one unpublished composition inspired by the film of the same name by Christopher Nolan, performed by Gabriele Cassone to the trumpet, from the soprano Joo Choby the organist Roberto Olzer and from Gennaro Scarpato to the didgeridoo and percussion. The film, a cult object, transfers the theory of relativity, lived in the experience of the protagonists through space exploration journeys, into a compelling and exciting story.
As always, they are eagerly awaited solo recitals which in this edition of “Sacred Harmonies” see protagonists two stars of organ music like the British Martin Baker, Master of Music (organist and choir director) of Westminster Cathedral in London from 2000 to 2019, worth listening to Saturday 3 August in Sanremo, in the Concathedral Basilica of San Siro; And the Frenchman Philippe Lefebvre, organist emeritus of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris who performs Saturday 17 August in Rapallo in the Basilica of SS. Gervasio and Protasio. But other authoritative exponents of the Italian and international traditions, with their art, will make the voice of monumental and historical instruments heard in as many concerts for solo organ: Marco Ruggeri on July 30th in Sestri Levante, Fabio Ciofini on August 7th in Rapallo, theAustrian Wolfgang Capek on August 15th in Ventimiglia, La Spanish Loreto Aramendi on August 22nd in Recco.
Furthermore, a specific feature of the “Sacred Harmonies” Festival should be underlined: the very rare opportunity to hear a concerto for organ and orchestra which is renewed every year, attracting a very large audience to the Basilica of Saints Gervasius and Protasius of Rapallo. This year the appointment is the August 10th With the’Rapallo Music Ensemble directed by Filippo Torre and the organist Luca Scandali, teacher at the Pesaro Conservatory. The city of Rapallo is once again the undisputed protagonist of the programming of the International Organ Festival with five events that fully rank among the most interesting initiatives of the Rapallo musical summer.
Other appointments are designed to do dialogue the voice of the organ with other instruments, with singing and with different expressive methods such as drama theatre. Three of these are dedicated to choral formations: on July 31st in Santa Margherita Ligure theFemale Ensemble “Chorus Laetus” directed by Luca Pollastri and the organist Luigi Fontana, teacher at the Conservatory of Music of La Spezia; on August 2nd in Lavagna we will listen to the Vox Silvae Ensemble and the titular organist of the Cathedral of Piacenza, Federico Perotti; on August 5th Chiavari hosts the Choir of the Vocal Academy of Genoa directed by Roberta Paraninfo and the organist Mauro Cossu.
The curiosity to discover the particular sound mixtures that arise from the encounter of the organ with other instruments or genres follows a thread that runs through the entire event, destined to surprise. The horn player Dimer Maccaferri and the titular organist of the Sanctuary of San Luca in Bologna Paolo Zappacosta they play together on July 27th in Rapallo. The organist Viviana Romoli And the actress Antonella Franceschini on July 29th in Laigueglia they perform “Il Signor Re Diesis e la Miss E Flat” by Jules Verne. In Sestri Levante, in the church of San Pietro Apostolo in Riva Trigoso, on August 11th the soprano Plamena AngelovaThe trumpeter Alberto Frugoni and the organist Roberto Bonetto, teacher at the Verona Conservatory of Music. On August 14th the Oratorio dei Neri of Rapallo hosts Cellorganic with Polish Renata Marzec on cello and Radoslaw Marzec on organteacher at The Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of
Music in Bydgoszcz. In the Municipality of Vernazza, precisely in the Church of S. Pietro a Corniglia, it will be Stefano Pellinititular organist of the Modena Cathedral, to play the precious organ in
second concert of his new life after the restorationin dialogue with the sax by Pietro Tagliaferri. Organ and trombonewith Luca Mariotti and Edoardo Mari, are the duo to listen to on Sunday 25 August in Ventimiglia. Thus ends a festival that combines art and culture, offering quality opportunities aimed at resident citizens and tourists.
