by InTrieste
Trieste’s Verdi Theater is set to conclude its 2023 symphony season with a grand finale, highlighted by the debut of the new Resident Music Director, Enrico Calesso. The evening of 22 December at 7.30 pm promises to be a rare treat with Giulio Viozzi’s seldom-performed “Musica per Italo Svevo,” followed by a captivating performance of Schumann’s concerto featuring the skilled pianist Massimo Gon. The crescendo will be the oceanic splendor of Mahler’s Titan Symphony.
Year after year, the Verdi Theater’s symphony season solidifies its reputation as the crown jewel of Trieste’s musical life. The orchestra’s ever-increasing quality places it among the most adept in delivering grand symphonic experiences, distinguishing itself among Italian lyrical foundations. The success is not only attributed to the orchestra’s excellence but also to the daring programs that break away from routine, presenting unfairly overlooked musical gems to its audience.
In line with this successful strategy, which saw numerous sold-out shows in the fall, the Centennial Concert for “La Coscienza di Zeno” will kick off with a rare musical gem – Giulio Viozzi’s “Musica per Italo Svevo.” Composed in 1962, this piece, contemporaneous with compositions like “Musica dei Ginepri,” remains a reflection of the descriptive period in Viozzi’s career. It promises to be a significant rediscovery for the Verdi audience, prompting reflection on their cultural and musical history in tune with the city’s celebratory spirit.
The program unfolds with Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54, offering a reverse journey into the Mitteleuropean roots of both Viozzi and the esteemed soloist, Massimo Gon. The grand finale arrives with Mahler’s Titan Symphony, a work with a turbulent history, composed and revised over six years, serving as a true test for the orchestra and its new Resident Music Director, Enrico Calesso. Calesso, originally from Treviso but with an extensive career in Germany and Austria, brings a profound familiarity with orchestras and theaters that share the cultural milieu, spirit, and vocation of Trieste.
Artistic Director Paolo Rodda remarks, “Our symphony season audience has repeatedly demonstrated their love for intriguing and unconventional programs. This encourages us to continue with curiosity and creativity, making our season truly unmissable.”
Superintendent Giuliano Polo concludes reflections on the 2023 symphony season, stating, “These have been challenging months for Italian foundations, but now we can look to the future with renewed optimism. We have all the elements for a different, intriguing, and deeply Triestine opera season, reflecting our soul and content. This concert is part of the new spirit, and our new Resident Music Director is undoubtedly a new and important ambassador for our theater, culture, and uniqueness in the German-speaking world, so physically and historically close to us.”
Resident Music Director Enrico Calesso adds, “I am thrilled to conduct the closing concert of the Verdi Theater Orchestra’s symphony season, especially as part of the centennial celebrations for ‘La coscienza di Zeno.’ Italo Svevo’s work, and particularly this great novel, epitomize the grand Mitteleuropean spirit witnessed by the city of Trieste. Giulio Viozzi’s composition dedicated to him, with which we will open the concert, will be followed by Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto and Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony, extraordinary counterpoints to the fin de siècle discomfort still fully reflected by the great Triestine author.”
