by InTrieste
Trieste, a city deeply connected to its rich cultural history, is set to continue its storied tradition of musical excellence with the 2024 symphony season at Teatro Verdi. Running until December 22, the season will include a standout performance on October 18, featuring Maestro Enrico Calesso as conductor and violin virtuoso Giuseppe Gibboni, a recent Paganini Prize winner.
This concert, the fourth in the series, will celebrate the works of Richard Wagner, Ferruccio Busoni, and Richard Strauss, providing a stirring exploration of the timeless themes of love and death through some of the most evocative compositions in the Western classical canon.
A Journey from Wagner to Strauss
The evening will open with Wagner’s Tristan-Vorspiel und Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, a piece that embodies the conflict between the vital forces of love and the indifferent inevitability of death. Wagner’s iconic resolution in the Liebestod—a musical and emotional transfiguration—will set the tone for the entire evening. Maestro Calesso, celebrated for his Wagner interpretations, will lead the orchestra through a masterful rendering of this legendary work.
The night will also feature the Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35a by Ferruccio Busoni, marking the centenary of the Trieste-born composer’s death. Busoni, who gave his first concert at the age of seven in Trieste, went on to become one of the central figures in 20th-century music. The concerto, dedicated to violinist Henri Petri, is a striking example of Busoni’s innovative take on classicism, offering a thoughtful homage to Brahms.
Rounding out the program are two symphonic poems by Richard Strauss: Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration). In Don Juan, Strauss, at the age of 24, signaled his break from the classical traditions imposed by his father, a prominent anti-Wagnerian musician. Tod und Verklärung returns to the theme of transfiguration, making it a fitting bookend to Wagner’s opening piece. As Strauss himself once wrote, it is a portrayal of an artist striving toward ultimate ideals, culminating in a spiritual transformation at the moment of death.
A Night of Emotional and Musical Impact
The program for this evening has been meticulously designed to evoke deep emotional resonance, and Calesso’s commentary on the event underscores the profound thematic connections between the works. “Wagner’s Tristanrepresents a turning point in the history of Western music,” Calesso explains. “He revolutionized the relationship between consonance and dissonance, laying the foundation for modernity. Strauss builds on this, particularly with his extreme tonal juxtapositions in Tod und Verklärung. Busoni, too, was deeply engaged with these ideas, continuing the exploration of tonal expression well into the 20th century.”
This concert is emblematic of Trieste’s ongoing dialogue with its cultural past while remaining engaged with the future of classical music. As the Teatro Verdi looks toward 2025, it also honors the historical roots that have made it one of Italy’s premier musical institutions.
Looking Ahead: A City That Embraces Its Musical Heritage
In an interview, Teatro Verdi’s superintendent, Giuliano Polo, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming symphonic and operatic seasons. “We’ve seen a 10% increase in season ticket sales for the symphony compared to 2023, and we’re witnessing similar growth in demand for opera subscriptions. Our team is working tirelessly to make the theater more welcoming and forward-looking, and I encourage everyone in Trieste to seize the opportunity to be part of this extraordinary musical journey.”
With Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman scheduled for March 2025 and a season of operatic and symphonic masterpieces to follow, Teatro Verdi is once again poised to be at the heart of Trieste’s cultural life. The October 18 concert, with its masterful combination of Wagner, Busoni, and Strauss, is not only a reflection of the theater’s illustrious history but also a preview of its vibrant future.
