On the High and Open Sea

Sailing “on the high and open sea” the 30th edition – which opened under the sign of the greatest interpretation tradition with the meeting between Maurizio Pollini and Riccardo Muti – resumes the never truly dismissed vocation for travelling, beyond any boundary or diversity, and reaches the very foundation of our civilisation and mindset. In the heart of the ancient acropolis of Athens, Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9 is heard as a true hymn to brotherhood between peoples. Whilst the unrivalled voices of the Tallis Scholars are entrusted with the evocative journey through the Liturgy of the Hours, the relentless rhythm of the 100 percussions lets us glimpse the original source of music, but also its infinite variations: on the one side, Stewart Copeland’s surprising flexibility in a symphonic performance; on the other, Nick Mason’s timeless energy. The touching lyricism of Dante’s Purgatorio turns into a vivid play that calls for the whole city’s support, and three extraordinary women tower above the opera trilogy: Norma, Aida, and Carmen.