A series dedicated to the sweet notes of classical music, held in the village’s historic churches, opening their doors to all lovers of fine music.
Thursday 31 st July
Concattedrale di Santa Caterina di Alessandria, Piazza della Libertà, 7:00 PM
Trio Azura: Piano Trios by Haydn, Mozart, and Shostakovich
Duncan McDougall (violin) · Yejin Hong (cello) · Yanfeng Bai (piano)
A vibrant dialogue across eras, styles, and passions: Trio Azura, a young but already acclaimed chamber ensemble, formed in 2022 at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. Comprising violinist Duncan McDougall, cellist Yejin Hong, and pianist Yanfeng (Tony) Bai, the trio represents a new generation of musicians blending technical precision, expressive freshness, and profound musical sensitivity.
The program opens with the luminous balance of Haydn’s Trio No. 45, where classical craftsmanship meets surprising vitality. Next, the youthful turmoil of Shostakovich’s Trio Op. 8—an intense, intimate work mirroring a restless soul. The evening culminates with Mendelssohn’s monumental Trio Op. 66, a Romantic masterpiece of sweeping melodies and rare chamber energy.
Awarded the Grand Prize and Gold Medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, Trio Azura has been celebrated at major international festivals, including the Accademia Chigiana (Siena) and ARD Munich. Their music is an emotional journey, suspended between roots and innovation, capable of stirring deep emotions and reawakening the imagination. With Azura, chamber music renews itself without losing its most authentic voice.
Tuesday 5th August
Chiesa del Suffragio, 9:30 PM
"Bizzarrie nel regno d’Asburgo – Bourbon Melodies"
Fabio Bonizzoni (organ)
A program contrasting the boldness of the Neapolitan School with the relative simplicity—almost "popular" flair—of French compositions. It invites reflection on how a people’s culture and artistic sensibility outlast the dominations imposed upon them. Habsburg Naples (17th century) and Bourbon Naples (18th century) were not so musically dissimilar, while French musical language maintained remarkable coherence—until the rupture of the Revolution.
Wednesday 6th August
Concattedrale di Santa Caterina di Alessandria | Piazza della Libertà, 9.30 pm
How the Ox Became a Nightingale – The Birth of the Virtuoso Cello
Agnieszka Oszanca – Cello | Fabio Bonizzoni – Harpsichord
The cello entered the world of music at the end of the 15th century. For many decades, it served primarily as a basso continuo instrument. However, in the 17th century, it began to gain popularity.
At the time, the most admired virtuosi among string players were violinists and viol players, while cellists still had to prove they were their equals. To do so, they had to showcase not only the singing quality of the cello, but also their ability to perform passages of pure agility with apparent ease. This led them to explore the full technical potential of the instrument. The technical skills of these new cello virtuosi called for a more demanding solo repertoire.
Like all artists, these cellists, driven by human nature and their own egos, sought to attract attention—even if that wasn’t always easy! The cello was still strongly associated with its role as an accompaniment instrument and embodied a sense of depth and gravity, qualities that usually did not evoke the idea of pleasant entertainment. Over time, however, the cello rose to the same level as the violin, while the viola da gamba disappeared from the musical scene—waiting almost two centuries for the early music revival movement to bring it back to the concert hall.
It is said that, after hearing the famous cellist Jean-Louis Duport, Voltaire exclaimed: “Sir, you make me believe in miracles; you have turned the ox into a nightingale.”
With that same spirit, we present to you a program of music by some of the greatest virtuoso cellists of the 18th century—visionaries who embarked on a journey to prove that their instrument was no less worthy than the violin or the human voice.
