“Music of Wanderings” - Ensemble Soqquadro Italiano

“Music is the wandering art of the eternal fusion of elements, in the synthesis of which novelty is born. By its nature, music knows no boundaries, its flow is unrestrainable and elusive; when it meets a stranger, it transforms as it goes through the new birth and selection, thus conquering new lands and assimilating into new cultures.” This is the vision of the authors of the music show presented to the Sochi audience by Soqquadro Italiano.

This ensemble (or rather, the community of musicians) is already well known to the regular visitors of Yuri Bashmet’s festivals for its remarkable flexibility and mobility. “The Italian hullabaloo” (this would be the closest translation of its name) does not fit into the traditional framework of musical and concert life. Its repertoire ranges from the early Italian Baroque to Schubert’s Lieder, from medieval dances to modern cantautori. What is most important for them is getting emotionally close to the audience, it is then that a traditional concert turns into a friendly talk, and playing music acquires the features of a magical ritual, taking us back to prehistoric art.

What is there in common between The Nymph’s Lament by the founder of the opera genre Claudio Monteverdi and the ballad by the 20th century Italian singer-songwriter Fabrizio De André? How does the farewell song of Sephardic Jews echo in the guitar fingerings by Santiago de Murcia, and how did Spanish flamenco transform into Argentine Songs by Carlos Guastavino? Is there a tangible connection between the dances of Corsica and southern Italy, Cyprus and Andalusia? This evening, we shall travel along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea – across the centuries and traditions, genres and forms. We shall be able to experience the way music changes in course of it wanderings. It transforms, remaining true to its creator – the human voice and soul. Or can a human be a mere instrument in the divine game, a sole echo in the music of elements and spheres inaudible to people?

This musical journey will be guided by Vincenzo Capezzuto, the owner of a unique voice, singer, actor and dancer in one. He began his career in art as a soloist of the English National Ballet and the Teatro di San Carlo ballet company in Naples; in recent years, he has taken part in the largest baroque music festivals in Europe.