Orchestra della Toscana – Diego Ceretta & Alessandro Taverna

About the Event

Experience classical music like never before in this astonishing performance of masterworks by Beethoven at Florence's remarkable Teatro Verdi.

With this concert, twenty‐six year old Diego Ceretta, makes his debut as principal conductor of the ORT. There are two other events for him during the season, which will allow him to work extensively with the orchestra in order to create that understanding which is necessary to establish that special artistic confidence between instrumentalists and Maestro. And to begin this adventure, he measures himself up against the titan, Beethoven: with two colossal pieces from his catalogue, his Symphony No. 4 (Heroic) and his “Emperor” Concerto. Two compositions permeated with the spirit of Napoleon. The Heroic was initially dedicated to him, at least until Bonaparte claimed to wear the imperial crown at that point, Beethoven tore up the dedication and gave it the name by which we know it today. Even the title of Emperor refers to Napoleon, attributed by the publisher in virtue of the military character of this score that Beethoven offered to Archduke Rudolf of Habsburg‐Lorraine, a Florentine by birth as he was the son of Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, the very one we are celebrating with the Tuscany Festival. The soloist of this cornerstone of the piano repertoire is Alessandro Taverna.

Teatro Verdi

Teatro Verdi is a theatre established in Florence in 1854, in the street 'Via Giuseppe Verdi'. Originally known as Teatro Pagliano, the theatre became one of the most popular theatres in Tuscany, welcoming all kinds of shows, as well as classical performances with the arrival of the Orchestra della Toscana. The largest Italian‐style theatre in the region, the building was inaugurated with a performance of Verdi´s masterpiece, 'Rigoletto', and was renamed in 1901 to honour the composer. Home to the Orchestra della Toscana, the theatre now combines a vivid classical program with theatre seasons, as well as rock and pop performances..