A standing ovation welcomed the ‘Expo
Friendship Concert’ starring Turin’s violinist Mauro Iurato at
the Osaka City Central Public Hall, accompanied by Argentine
pianist Pablo Escande.
Tickets for the event, organized by the Piedmont region as part
of Expo 2025 Osaka, were sold out in just a few days, with the
concert hall packed with a Japanese and international public.
The presence of many representatives of authorities highlighted
the importance of the appointment: Piedmont Governor Alberto
Cirio, Italy’s Consul in Osaka Filippo Manara, the regional
Culture, Equal Opportunities and Youth Policies Councillor
Marina Chiarelli.
The concert represented a journey back to the roots of violin
virtuosity born in Turin, with a program paying homage to the
great masters of Piedmont’s school from the 17th to the 19th
century: Somis, Leclair, Pugnani and Viotti.
Iurato performed with an exceptional violin which had originally
belonged to Giovanni Battista Pugnani (1731-1798), Turin’s most
famous violinist in the 1700s who directed the Royal Orchestra
of the Piedmont city.
“It isn’t only an ancient instrument but a living piece of
history”, said the maestro.
“Each time a play Pugnani with his violin, it feels like memory
lights up through sound”.
The initiative, supported by the Foundation Compagnia di San
Paolo and promoted by the Region, is part of a program involving
Turin and Osaka in joint long-term cultural projects.
The ticket booking system sparked particular interest as it was
managed through a platform that allowed members of the public to
express their impressions and expectations.
“We asked participants why they had chosen to come and how they
felt about this concert”, explained Iurato.
“The most frequent answer was that Italy ‘went all out'” as the
Japanese public “understood the commitment and earnestness we
have dedicated to this Expo and thanked us for this bridge of
communication between our countries”.
The evening’s success is part of a journey that has already seen
the violinist perform during three introductory events held at
the Italy Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka on September 28, 29 and
30.
The program at City Hall offered music of rare execution: the
sonatas by Giovanni Battista Somis, who founded Turin’s school
after studying under Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi,
Jean-Marie Leclair’s Sonata in D major, elegantly mixing French
style with Piedmontese tradition.
The public also enjoyed a sonata by Pugnani oozing passion and
technical virtuosity, while the grand finale was entrusted to
Concert No. 22 by Giovanni Battista Viotti, an authentic jewel
which influenced the birth of France’s modern violin school.
For Iurato, who was awarded the honour of Knight of the Order of
Merit of the Italian Republic for his outstanding contribution
to culture, the experience in Japan represents a natural phase
of his career: already a guest Konzertmeister in prestigious
Japanese orchestras, the Turin-born musician is today a key
point of reference for the promotion of Piedmont’s musical
repertoire in Asia.
“Each concert here is not just music but a dialogue between
cultures that recognize one another in reciprocal commitment”,
stressed the violinist.
“The violin I take with me, with its gut strings and signs of
the time, showcases a story of continuity.
“And I believe that this continuity is the key of our work at
Expo: giving new life to heritage in order to pass it on to the
future”, he concluded.
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