CARMEN
“Sur la place Chacun passe, Chacun vient, chacun va ; Drôles de gens que ces gens-là ! Drôles de gens ! Drôles de gens “
“On the square everyone comes by, everyone comes and goes;
funny sort of people these!!”

The chorus sings suspended in the air, peering down on earth, watching a strange caravan of nomads from all over the world on its way from Rajasthan to Spain.
Our Carmen unravels among these people. The chorus narrates; it knows the story well. 

After its unique take on Mozart’s Magic Flute (2009), the Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio revisits George Bizet’s Carmen. Produced by Les Nuits de Fourvière / Département du Rhône, in collaboration with Opéra Théâtre de Saint-Étienne.Debutto mondiale, it will hold its world premiere at the Festival Les Nuit de Fourviére in Lyon, France from June 23 to 26, 2013.

Find out more

 Parco della Musica Records
presents

L’Isola di Legno

“When the OPV writes a new song, it naturally thinks about how it will work on stage. This group began, grew and created its own language directly on stage. An island made of wood; the Promised Land, a place where dreams come true, a nation shared by men and women from all corners of the earth. This is the meaning behind the title of the album. This is also why we decided to record it live at the Sala Sinopoli during three concerts at the Parco della Musica, Rome. “L’Isola di Legno” is the result of ten years of work and it reflects our musical journey and our take on song styles.
The musicians in the Orchestra are the authors as well as interpreters of these songs; songs that talk about them and are reflections on and by them. “L’Isola di Legno” was conceived and written in the rehearsal studios at del Parco della Musica, Rome, during our artistic residency there. Pasquale Minieri’s talent and experience and Pino Pecorelli’s passion and tenacity made this collection of songs, each one different from the other, a homogenous world of sounds.
Leandro Piccioni’s wisdom and creativity continues to give this band the right to call itself an orchestra. The musicians, all of them, give this album the heart and soul of a true “band”. And because for the first time, finally, there is also a female vocalist in the OPV, I want to thank the much-adored Sylvie Lewis as a gallant gesture on behalf of all the orchestra.
Enjoy”
Mario Tronco

L’Isola di Legno, the new album by the Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio, released by Parco della Musica Records, celebrates 10 years of the most famous multi-ethnic orchestra in Italy. The CD was recorded live on March 19, 20, and 21, 2012 at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome.
To understand the evolution of the OPV we must look at two fundamental aspects of its existence: Journeys and Relationships. Journeys that led each member away from his native land to the city where all roads lead, Rome. Relationships that grew through encounters with other musicians and sharing repertoires. During a journey, places change but so do the travelers. Live performances have helped the musicians understand each other end themselves as artists, defining the music of the orchestra and broadening its repertoire. Playwright Jean Genet once said that he only really existed in his relationships with other people – the orchestra embodies this idea in several ways. Over the last ten years every member has grown and changed on account of meeting each other and working together. Each of them has been able to define who they are musically due to confronting their cultural and artistic differences.
The new songs are the result of a decade of playing music together. The tales we tell are the stories told to each other during many hours on tour in Italy and abroad. A live recording is both a journey and a relationship. The relationship between the OPV and audiences is always effusive and contagious with each one cheering the other on to become better and to give, feel and express more. The album celebrates journeys made, relationships in bloom and life itself.

special guests:
Puccio Panettieri – drums Fausto Mesolella – classical guitar (track 3), electric guitar (track 14) Emanuele Bultrini – electric guitars (tracks 2,3 & Joao Gomes – keyboards (track 3)

Artistic Director – Mario Tronco Produced and arranged by Pasquale Minieri, Pino Pecorelli, Leandro Piccioni and Mario Tronco Orchestrations by Leandro Piccioni Coproduced by Gianni Istrioni CD Artwork and booklet design di Valeria Crociata

Press Office Musica per Roma tel. 06- 80241574 – 231 – 228
[email protected]

 

Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains,
at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.
(Saint Augustine)

It is evening at the moonlit Port of Belesh. A raft is moored at a dock. The crew is singing a song led by a woman wearing a shiny, red dress.  She looks like she has just left a party. She sings to stay awake, “I don’t want to sleep, I just want to hold you and dream.” In the shadows, a young, princely looking African man watches the scene and begins to sing with her.

The next day at the Coliseum, a man dressed like a gladiator reads an advertisement: “Tonight at 9:00 a ship is setting sail for a long and wonderful journey to destinations unknown. The only requirement to board is to bring a song. You are allowed only one suitcase…”. Simon, the man’s name, looks at his watch and realizes he only has 80 minutes to get there. He works at the Coliseum dressed as a gladiator posing for photographs with tourists. The journey is his way out.

Meanwhile at the dock, it’s almost sunset and preparations are being made on the raft. The first travellers arrive: A young Cuban with a huge suitcase from which musicians come out. Two Arabs who try to bribe the ship’s captain in order to bring more than one suitcase on board. A dubious-looking tango singer. A skeptical South American. An African with a tiny, magical suitcase that gives him the gift of singing in any language. Each traveller has something extraordinary in their suitcase.

You can travel thousands of miles in your life without ever scratching the surface of your own life or learning anything from the people you encounter. The meaning of the journey lies in stopping and listening to whoever has a story to tell.

With all this said, will Simon make it on time?

Artistic and musical direction by Mario Tronco
Produced and arranged by Mario Tronco, Pino Pecorelli, Leandro Piccioni
Written by Mario Tronco, Giulia Steigerwalt, and Daniele Spanò
Sets and video by Daniele Spanò
Lighting design by Daniele Davino
Costumes by Katia Marcanio, Livia Fulvio