MiTo SettembreMusica

MiTo SettembreMusica
Name	MiTo SettembreMusica
Location	Turin, Milan
Years active	2006–present
Dates	September
Genre	Classical music, Contemporary music, Chamber music, Orchestral music

MiTo SettembreMusica is an annual classical and contemporary music festival held each September across Turin and Milan. Founded as a collaboration between municipal authorities and cultural institutions, the festival presents symphonic, chamber, choral, and solo repertoire while commissioning new works and hosting international ensembles. It attracts artists from institutions such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and soloists affiliated with the Juilliard School and Royal Academy of Music.

History

The festival was launched in 2006 through a partnership involving the City of Turin, the City of Milan, the Fondazione La Scala, and regional cultural bodies from Piedmont and Lombardy; initial editions featured collaborations with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and the Teatro alla Scala. Over subsequent seasons, programming integrated ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Orchestre de Paris, and chamber groups connected to the Juilliard String Quartet and Amadeus Quartet, while commissioning composers associated with the Sabrina Brani and Ennio Morricone spheres. The festival’s history includes partnerships with cultural festivals like the Settimane Musicali di Stresa, the Festival dei Due Mondi, and institutions such as the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi (Milan) and the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi (Turin).

Organization and Management

MiTo is governed by an organizing committee comprising representatives from the Municipality of Turin, the Municipality of Milan, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (Italy), and private patrons like the Fondazione CRT and the Fondazione Cariplo. The artistic direction has featured directors trained at institutions such as the Royal College of Music, the New England Conservatory, and the Moscow Conservatory, working with administrative staff experienced at organizations like the BBC Proms, the Salzburg Festival, and the Bayreuth Festival. Operational management coordinates with venue directors from the Teatro Regio (Turin), Teatro alla Scala, and municipal cultural departments in collaboration with unions such as FIDAPA and associations like the European Festivals Association.

Program and Repertoire

Programming balances canonical repertoire by composers including Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Gustav Mahler, and Igor Stravinsky with contemporary commissions by composers linked to Luciano Berio, György Ligeti, Olivier Messiaen, and Ennio Morricone. The festival presents symphonic cycles inspired by the Vienna Philharmonic tradition, chamber series reflecting the legacies of the Alban Berg Quartet and the Guarneri Quartet, and contemporary programs influenced by the practices of the Ensemble Modern, the Kronos Quartet, and the London Sinfonietta. Cross-genre collaborations have involved artists associated with the Rolling Stones, Björk, Philip Glass, and Sting in curated experimental concerts.

Venues and Cities

Events occur across historic and modern venues including the Teatro Regio (Turin), Fondazione Prada (Milan), Sala Verdi (Milan) at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi (Milan), the Palazzo Madama, and the Castello di Rivoli museum spaces. The urban scope extends to civic spaces managed by the Comune di Torino and the Comune di Milano, linking festival sites to cultural landmarks such as the Mole Antonelliana, the Duomo di Milano, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

Notable Performers and Premieres

The roster has included conductors and soloists associated with Riccardo Muti, Daniele Gatti, Sir Simon Rattle, Gianandrea Noseda, Dudamel, and soloists from the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, András Schiff, and Maurizio Pollini. Premieres have been given by composers connected to Luigi Nono, Salvatore Sciarrino, György Kurtág, and emerging composers from the Conservatorio di Milano and the Conservatorio di Torino, often performed by ensembles like the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI and contemporary groups such as Ictus Ensemble and the Ensemble Intercontemporain.

Educational and Outreach Activities

Educational initiatives partner with the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi (Milan), the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi (Turin), the Juilliard School, and youth orchestras such as the European Union Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Italy. Outreach projects have been developed with cultural NGOs like Emergency, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and municipal school programs coordinated by the Ministry of Education (Italy). Masterclasses and workshops have been led by faculty from the Royal Academy of Music, the Curtis Institute of Music, the Sibelius Academy, and visiting artists from the Berlin Philharmonic Academy.

Reception and Impact

Critics from publications including The New York Times, Le Monde, The Guardian, Corriere della Sera, and La Repubblica have reviewed editions, noting connections to the programming models of the Salzburg Festival and the Edinburgh International Festival. The festival has influenced regional cultural policy in Piedmont and Lombardy, stimulated tourism flows linked to cultural routes involving the Museo Egizio, Pinacoteca di Brera, and contributed to the international profile of Turin and Milan as music capitals comparable to Vienna and Berlin.

Awards and Recognition

Over the years, the festival and its productions have received accolades from entities such as the Italian Ministry of Culture, the European Festival Awards, and designations from the Council of Europe. Individual concerts and recordings associated with the festival have been shortlisted for prizes including the Gramophone Awards, the ICMA (International Classical Music Awards), and national honors like the Premio Abbiati.

Category:Music festivals in Italy Category:Classical music festivals