From international jazz to iconic opera, from sacred choral masterpieces to never-before-heard compositions, this November in Rome is all about music.
Isabella Rossellini by André Rau – Until Sunday 13
Every so often, a photographer and a model come together to create an extraordinary partnership based on trust, understanding, and mutual vision. Such was the case with Isabella Rossellini and André Rau, who first began working together over 40 years ago. An exhibit at Palazzo Merulana explores the friendship and artistic relationship that paved the way for one of the most significant collaborations of modern times. Rau’s photos of the actress demonstrate the trust between the two, the innate grace of Rossellini, and the extraordinary skill of the photographer, as well as the serenity and harmony of the professional who managed to capture, with a single image, the humanity of one of the most famous divas of our times. palazzomerulana.it
International Sacred Music and Art Festival – From Saturday 12 to Tuesday 15
Take Rome’s most majestic churches and combine them with the music of the greatest composers of all time performed by the most prestigious orchestras and choruses of Europe and what do you get? A true feast for the senses, namely the 21st edition of the annual International Sacred Music and Art Festival. The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Cecilia Chorus, and the Armenian State Symphony, along with renowned conductors and soloists from around the globe, bring sacred music and architecture together in magnificent fashion. Particular to this year’s edition is a celebration of the thousand-year-old repertoire of Armenian sacred music as well as an homage to composer Lorenzo Perosi. Best of all, performances are free. Concerts take place at St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, St. John’s in Lateran, and St. Mary Major. Find the full program at festivalmusicaeartesacra.net
Festival di Nuova Consonanza – From Sunday 13
The 59th edition of the annual Nuova Consonanza music festival is kicking off with over a month of performances that range from contemporary music and dance to musical theater, spoken word poetry, improvisation, and performance art, where the thread connecting it all is innovation. Each concert features world-class musicians as they interpret the works of renowned late-20th-century and contemporary composers, including an astounding 40 world premieres on the programme. Performances take place nearly every night at one of four venues across the city, Teatro Palladium, Teatro di Villa Torlonia, the Auditorium PDM, and La Pelanda at the Mattatoio. Visit nuovaconsonanza.it for a full program and to buy tickets.
Tosca – From Wednesday 2 to Saturday 5
If you’re going to see an opera in Rome, let it be Tosca. This masterpiece by Puccini has a deep connection to Rome, and not only because it premiered here back in 1900. Tosca is, famously, set in Rome, and each separate act takes place at a different Roman landmark. From the splendid mannerist church of Sant’Andrea della Valle, to the gilded halls of Palazzo Farnese, to the final dramatic act set on the ramparts of Castel Sant’Angelo, the opera is a virtual walking tour of the city. This original production is brought to life by director Alessandro Talevi and is performed under the baton of Maestro Paolo Arrivabeni with sets by Adolf Hohenstein so real, you almost feel like you’re there. Teatro Costanzi. operaroma.it
Roma Jazz Festival – From Sunday 6 to Saturday 19
The annual jazz festival hosted by the Auditorium PDM and the Casa del Jazz looks toward the new international jazz scene this year with the theme of “Immersivity.” Undisputed stars of contemporary jazz, such as the Mingus Big Band and Five Elements by Steve Coleman, share the bill with the avant-garde sounds of Erik Friedlander, Uri Caine, Isfar Sarabski, the young Azerbaijani pianist, and Alfa (Mist) Sekitoleko, a hot new talent on the English scene. The Enrico Rava Trio, guitarist Christian Fennesz, Danilo Rea, and video artist Paolo Scoppola explore video-art and electronics while the world of female jazz is represented by Lady Blackbird, aka Marley Munroe from Los Angeles, Nubya Garcia, one of the leading names in the new British jazz scene, and Rosa Brunello, Italian double bass player and composer accompanied by Yazz Ahmed’s trumpet. auditorium.com
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