On stage
In a way, choral music is a theatre of voices. This can be said particularly when referring to some of the most significant Italian experiences: from madrigal to polychorality, to lyric opera. For this reason, the red thread of the theatre seem to be able to enclose important experiences of the past, of popular and educated tradition, and at the same time to open up to an innovative way of conceiving the choral performance which includes movement, acting, sensitivity for the relationship between sounds in space. Torino proposes itself as the stage for European chorality: with its theatres and concert halls, its architecture, the palaces and the squares it offers the ideal spaces and scenographies to realize “on stage” projects. Furthermore, its characteristic of being the city of cinema suggests an interesting widening of the visual dimension from the stage to the screen, with further implications in the field of sound recording and reproduction, in the use of new technologies and new means of communication in the service of choral music. It is also important to remember that the theatre was born as a meeting point for the polis, a place for exchange and discussion. Let’s learn again how to meet, talk to each other and exchange values and emotions using the language of music.
Festa!
The idea of “festa” needs to be intended with a larger meaning. Surely it enclose the idea of lightness and fun, but it also deals with the atmosphere that will fill the festival and the harmony that we wish to create among people. The source of inspiration is the Mediterranean sea, which laps different country's shores and unites many cultures and histories. Torino and Italy will act as householders and will welcome their guests with care and simplicity. They will also put at their guests disposal their traditions which liven them up asking in return something to be shared with everybody: sounds, colors, flavours and languages. The square, that is the meeting and exchange point, becomes the symbol of this sharing and of the energy and the curiosity that will animate the festival. During those days the city will be a microcosm filled with dances, games, performances and costumes and where songs, dialects, languages from all over the world will resound. The festival will not be just a container where choirs perform but an articulate vision of present traditions. As in every self- respecting party, the channel of communication carried out by young people represents the perfect way to create expectation and an uncontrolled word of mouth.
Soul food
We all know that the choir enriches the development of an individual and we also know how precious and irreplaceable is the vocal experience for children and young people. The festival wants to dedicate some special attention to them and with them would like to imagine a better world with the help of music.
The choir is a society model where listening, respect, cooperation, solidarity go hand in hand with art, beauty and culture, where tradition and innovation express themselves not only by making music but also in the way people cohabitate and open up to each other. For these reasons the choir is an important and efficient tool in sensitive situations, such as those in certain areas of the world and in some of our cities as well, where not everybody has the means, the possibility and access to education. Torino wants to be a display of model projects and situations, where singing together develops such a strength able to change people, and therefore, the world.