The MiTo classical music
festival, a 19-day event joining Milan and Turin featuring 140
concerts, is set to kick off on September 9 under the theme
"nature".
There will be four open-air concerts as part of the festival
(two in Turin and two in Milan), the first a night of "open
singing" where the audience can take part in the event, and the
second titled "Kids Do The Ninth in Piazza", a rendition of
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Italian Youth Orchestra, the
Maghini Choir, and Tuscany Orchestra conductor Daniele Rustioni
at the helm.
The outdoor concerts in Piazza San Carlo on September 9 and
10 follow on the heels of a tragedy on June 3 in the square,
when one person died and more than 1,500 people were injured
during a stampede of fans who were there to watch Juventus in
the Champions League final.
When they heard loud noises similar to gun shots, they
mistakenly took them as the sign of a terror attack; panic
ensued, resulting in the stampede.
Italian media have speculated that the noises were likely due
to loud firecrackers.
"Continuing to gather in the squares seems a strong gesture
to me, an important one," said MiTo artistic director Nicola
Campogrande.
"I call on everyone to come out to the square, not only to
defend our culture but also because it makes you feel better,"
he said.
At this year's festival there will be 115 living composers
represented, with 10 Italian premieres, seven worldwide
premieres, and four pieces composed especially for the festival.
This is also the second year that each concert will have a
four-minute introduction read by an actor and that there will be
a sort of simultaneous "mini festival" for children.
Half of the concerts are free or low-cost, with a maximum
ticket price of 30 euros - a far cry from the 450 euros being
charged at this year's Salzburg Festival for Verdi's "Aida"
conducted by Riccardo Muti.
In the meantime, Campogrande said he is already working
together with MiTo president Anna Gastel on next year's
festival, which has the full support of Milan Mayor Giuseppe
Sala and Turin Mayor Chiara Appendino.
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