\u201cHaving chosen to centre the new programme of Cantare amantis est<\/em> on a number of sacred-themed works, it seemed both natural and fitting to pay tribute through them to Don Giovanni Minzoni, a central figure and martyr in the history of Italy.\u201d Riccardo Muti reveals the dedication that will mark the second edition of the major project (1\u20132 June at the Ravenna Festival), open to choirs and choir singers from all over Italy: \u201cDon Minzoni,\u201d he explains, \u201cwas a priest who combined extraordinary faith with a free spirit\u2014modern, even revolutionary for his time; committed to supporting young people, workers, and the poor, and capable of looking ahead and bringing about fundamental initiatives.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Muti also emphasises: \u201cEver since my arrival in Ravenna I have always heard about him; the time has come to pay him tribute.\u201d Ravenna, moreover, is Don Minzoni\u2019s birthplace (1885). He later became chaplain in Argenta, a land of socialists and landowners, marked by serious unrest and labour conflicts. It was there that, after earning a medal as a military chaplain in the Great War, he strengthened the parish organisation in support of the most vulnerable: young people, women, and agricultural labourers. And it was there that Fascist squads fatally attacked him in August 1923. To their violence he always responded \u201cwith a weapon,\u201d he would say, \u201cthat for us is sacred and divine, that of the first Christians: prayer and kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n The programme of this new \u201cjourney into choral music\u201d, a highlight of the Ravenna Festival, focuses precisely on sacred themes<\/strong>: Ave Verum Corpus<\/em> by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, \u201cCasta Diva\u201d from Norma<\/em> by Vincenzo Bellini, an excerpt from the Messa da Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi, and the Prologue from Mefistofele<\/em> by Arrigo Boito. These are works that will be explored in depth under the exceptional guidance of Riccardo Muti during two intensive days of study and rehearsal, on 1 June (from 3 pm to 8 pm) and 2 June (from 10:30 am to 1 pm and from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm), once again in the Pala De Andr\u00e9.<\/p>\n A new \u201ccall\u201d to share a passion for music and singing, drawing in thousands of choir singers from across Italy of every level and age: by midnight yesterday, the official deadline for applications, there were already nearly 3,500 participants<\/strong>. Yet the steady stream of requests and the enthusiasm evident in every contact have convinced the organisers to stretch capacity as far as possible and to keep participation open a little longer.<\/p>\n All in the spirit of Saint Augustine\u2019s words, Cantare amantis est<\/em>\u2014\u201csinging belongs to one who loves\u201d\u2014and to send out, now more than ever, a message of peace to the world through the universal language of music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cHaving chosen to centre the new programme of Cantare amantis est on a number of sacred-themed works, it seemed both natural…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":39052,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n