Day 3 of Mozart Evenings Champions Classical Excellence With Star-Studded Evening Concerto At Marrucino Theatre
A unique endeavour connecting the past and the present through a passionate combination of artistry and a deep admiration for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music, bringing renowned musicians from around the globe to the beautiful Italian city of Chieti for a spectacular musical extravaganza. Led by President Konstantin Ishkhanov and Artistic Director Giuliano Mazzoccante, this second edition is taking place from 25 May - 4 June 2025, following a debut in 2022 that garnered international acclaim thanks to its inspiring ability to artfully blend traditional elements with innovation. This year, it is working to do the same, making a mark with audiences worldwide to enhance Chieti’s reputation as an epicentre for classical music greatness.
On 2 June 2025, day three of the Mozart Evenings series continued the magic with a stunning concert held at Chieti's historic Marrucino Theatre, a venue steeped in centuries of tradition, boasting beautiful architecture and world-class acoustics. The musical evening commenced at 9pm featuring the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, a celebrated ensembled renowned as one of the leading collectives of the republic, alongside two talented pianists: Arsenii Moon (France), winner of the 64th International Piano Competition Ferruccio Busoni and the prestigious Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Award, as well as the critically applauded recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist Julia Zilberquit (USA). They were conducted by Maestro Gianluca Marcianò (Italy), Principal Conductor of the Orchestra della Magna Grecia in Taranto and Matera (Italy), who serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, and Artistic Director of the Al Bustan Festival in Lebanon.
Praising the impact of the event, the Director of the Department for the Development of Concert and Entertainment Activities of the Republic of Uzbekistan noted that “Uzbek and Italian cultures are starting to interact with each other. Mrs Meloni has recently been to Uzbekistan at the invitation of President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, and now we are here strengthening cultural ties between our countries. It’s a huge honor for us that the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan is performing at one of the oldest theatres of Europe!”
For his part, Maestro Marcianò remarked that “I have performed with the National Orchestra of Uzbekistan previously, and I remember wonderful feelings of performing with them – a high level of professionalism, of music, and this time I noticed that I had remembered well, because we had a wonderful rehearsal together, and it is very nice to work with them, they are very kind and at the same time very focused, and of very high standard of skill!”
Commenting on the festival’s dedicatee himself, the conductor added that “I think Mozart is the true and absolute genius of classical music. His simplicity makes him so great because it is like he is talking like a child; it is simple, but at the same time very difficult to go back to our childhood. Everything is very clear in his writing. Every note is on the right side. It's great. For a musician, for a conductor, in my case, it is a difficult job because to respect the style, it's more complicated sometimes, and especially with Mozart. But I would absolutely say he is the greatest of all time!”
Angelo Fabbrini, meanwhile, a Master Piano Technician and the founder of Fabbrini Pianoforti, looked at the evening from a different angle, as he drew attention to the fact that the pianists were performing on a Bernstein piano, which is not a common occurrence for most contemporary concerts. “For me it is nice to hear Mozart on a Bernstein piano”, he said, “because it is not often that you hear such an important composer on a Bernstein, which has somewhat disappeared from the scene. It is also good to hear the voice of more instruments because we can probably gain a better idea of the composer himself, and I think that bringing back the Bernstein piano sometimes on such important occasions is also pleasant to listen to. It’s also a huge pleasure for me to be here this evening at such an event, especially here in Chieti, because Chieti has always been a really important point for our work.
Together, the musicians presented a series of remarkable works reflecting the true essence of Mozart, including two of his greatest piano concertos, namely the prolific composer's Piano Concerto in A minor No. 23, K. 488, a poetic piece praised for its charm and emotional depth, as well as the Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491, a symphonic work renowned for the dramatic and rich tonality that it exhibits.
“These two concertos are very dear to me”, Marcianò continued, “especially the K.488, which has the most incredible second movement. The second movement is so... it's so fascinating, so deep, so incredibly sad, even in a way, full of emotion. For me, every time I play this piece, I feel awakened in this second movement, and to do so in this theatre is just incredible! It’s one of the greats we have in Italy, and in the last few years especially, after the renovation, it has had incredible concert seasons, so I'm very happy to be here”.
Moon agreed, stating that “Mozart, obviously, is one of the greatest ever composers, and there are really no words needed to describe his genius and his music. For me personally, he was my favorite composer from the very beginning when I was a child. I was listening to a lot of his symphonies, and the first piece I played on the piano was actually his fourth symphony, which I tried to play with my two fingers! So performing Mozart, especially concertos, is a big joy for me. And, tonight was a very special evening because it was the first time in Chieti, first time with the Uzbekistan Symphony Orchestra, first time with Maestro Marcianò, and the first time I played this wonderful concerto in C minor!”
Like Moon, Zilberquit was also marking her debut in Chieti, with the American pianist having been scheduled to perform in the city in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted public engagements worldwide. “I was supposed to present a concert here in Chieti back in 2020, but then it was cancelled due to Covid”, she said, “so I’m really thrilled to have finally gotten the chance to come here and perform at such a wonderful event as this! Mozart is undoubtedly one of the most influential and important composers in history, and it is a real honour to be part of this celebration of his extraordinary legacy. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!”
The ambience throughout the night was absolutely electric as Mozart's timeless melodies once again breathed life into the city. The audience, comprising local aficionados, international enthusiasts and notable cultural figures, responded with unrestrained enthusiasm to the enchanting evening, while local and international media provided extensive coverage of the event, creating an unmistakable buzz throughout the historic centre of Chieti.
“We are extremely happy with these five days in the theatre, five days of great prestige for the city, dedicated to the music of Mozart who has such a great connection with this city through the legacy of the Settimana Mozartiana”, declared Paolo De Cesare, Chieti’s Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Culture. “Now we are repeating this tradition in this beautiful theatre of ours thanks to the important work carried out by Maestro Giuliano Mazzoccante who is working hard to make sure that we have events of an international nature and of great quality in Chieti. To see this orchestra from Uzbekistan, and musicians from so many countries of the world, internationally renowned artists, coming to Chieti, to our theatre, to play music related to Mozart makes us so proud. It is very important for our city, and for me as Councillor for Culture, to be able to witness this prestige that our theatre is achieving through this very important work.”
Marcianò shared these sentiments, noting that “Mozart Evenings is a festival of the highest standard, with such incredible musicians. Konstantin Ishkhanov is really an incredible visionary. He has done so many initiatives, so many festivals, so many concert seasons… I have known him for many years, and he has never ceased to surprise me! In this case he chose a very good partner in Giuliano Mazzoccante, a fantastic pianist, who has now also become a very good Artistic Director. I am sure that although I think he has already accomplished so much, Konstantin will end up surprising me again in the future!”
