At the Book Fair with Sandro Bergamo, stories from the Italian choral world
This episode of radio Festival is set in the International book fair of Torino, one of the most important European publishing manifestation.
It’s a big cultural kermis which calls every year millions visitors. It’s a good occasion to talk about Festival Europa Cantat and to introduce it to those who don’t know anything about it. Moving on Lingotto’s wide spaces, a former cars factory now become exposition centre, we approach to the stand Europa Cantat and Feniarco, where visitors can receive information about Italian coral world and about the upcoming festival.
Words are not enough to tell a new musical adventure, so we move to auditorium Dimensione musica where the visitor can listen to concerts, presentations and meetings with public. Now we are listening to the children choir Voci Bianche del Coropò conducted by Maria Silvia Merlini. Guest of the Book fair there’s also Sandro Bergamo, editor of Choraliter , Feniarco's magazine. He is here to present two of the last books published by Feniarco. We use this occasion to have a chat with Sandro.
We have been to this book fair about ten years ago, with the purpose to get inside the cultural panorama with our musical realty. This was just the beginning of the bridge building, which now is stronger and wider because in the last ten years Italy have made many steps forward, as we can see here in Torino with this big appointment, the Festival next summer.
Even Choraliter chose a new orientation.
As a magazine, we were born fifteen years ago, some things have changed since now, our first aim was to involve our associates, to become a reference and a way to delve into Italian coral world. In that step our readers were most of all conductors. Then, we had a graphic renew and we addressed our journal to members of choirs other then conductors. As Feniarco, we wondered to be educators in aesthetic and music quality, we offered this path to kids and we really had a considerable feedback.
Talking and walking we arrive outdoor, above us, the glass bubble designed by the architect Renzo Piano. It’s a typical Torino’s afternoon: sun and wind. This city is getting ready for the Festival, it comes spontaneously to ask what wishes Sandro to all participants.
Enjoy the festival and enjoy singing. It’s true choir it’s a commitment, but I won’t say a sacrifice. It’s a big amusement, a big joy and who doesn’t know that world doesn’t know what he miss.
A last question: can you tell us the story of vineyard and the rose?
Oenologist say it’s a legend, but not only from here, I’ve heard it in Bourgogne too. You plant a rose ahead of the row, it’s useful to warn if there’s parasites because it is the first getting sick. I will use this metaphor to say that choir is the rose ahead the society. If a choir works well, behind there’s a good society. Structured societies produce choirs, broken up societies find hard to do it. As Italy is full of choirs, this can be considered an element of hope.
Thanks to Sandro Bergamo, editor of journal Choraliter. See you in the next episode!
