ART:Passion Italiano Indian Ishtyle
By Sudip Chakraborty
It was an unforgettable operatic experience for the learned audience as renowned Italian Opera artists along with Indian Maestros performed Cavalleria Rusticana, one of the classics of “Verismo” (realism), in New Delhi to mark the 150th anniversary of the Italian unification.
It was an ensemble of Indian and Italian artists with the renowned Italian Soprano Francesca Patane, performing the main character of “Santuzza” together with Luciano Ganci in the role of “Turiddu”, as the Indian Maestro Vijay Upadhyaya conducted the Orchestra.
The Orchestra included both Indian and Italian musicians from the India National Youth Orchestra, founded by Vijay Upadhyaya, and the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana-Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, respectively. The event, organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Embassy of Italy with the collaboration of the Italian Cultural Centre and the Delhi International Arts Festival, introduced to the Indian audience 'Italian Passion' of the Indian Maestro Vijay
Upadhyaya, who had distinctions of being of conductor of several international Orchestra. The Indian artists were picked up from 12 different states across India--Nagaland, Assam, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Naidu Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.
Cavalleria Rusticana, caused sensation way back in 1890 when it was first performed in Rome. After the death of the composer Pietro Mascagni in 1945, it had been produced more than 14,000 times in Italy alone. An elated Ambassador of Italy to India Giacomo Sanfelice Di Monteforte told AABC "it is a very special occasion as such events strengthen the bond between the two countries.”
Music has no bounds and the Orchestra proved it, by keeping the audience spellbound, with the choir from the Neemrana Music Foundation, and Director Maurizio Di Mattia setting a perfect stage and internationally acclaimed designer Rajesh Pratap Singh adding a touch of class to the costumes. “Music is the universal language, we don't need to understand it, we just need to listen to it and enjoy it, no matter what kind of music it is… It can be an Indian music, Italian music or German music…” the lead Italian artist Soprano Francesca remarked reflecting on the success of the performance.
