Amici della Musica: Great Success for Pianist Andrea Bacchetti at the Garibaldi Theatre
The opening event of the 48th concert season of the Amici della Musica di Mazara, held at the Garibaldi
Theatre, has concluded
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's K448 melody, performed at the request of an audience member, brought the first appointment
of the 48th concert season of the Amici della Musica di Mazara to a close. The event, held at the Teatro Garibaldi,
saw a sold-out house across both the stalls and the boxes. On stage, pianist Andrea Bacchetti performed a demanding
program featuring works by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and others, holding the audience in silent captivation within the
splendid artistic setting of the Garibaldi - a theater famously built using timber from Mazara's old fishing boats.
Andrea Bacchetti, an internationally renowned pianist, let his fingers flow over the music of Bach, Scarlatti, and
Schubert, before concluding with Morricone's "Nuovo Cinema Paradiso" (in an arrangement by Bacchetti himself),
Mancini's "Moon River", and Benigni's "La vita è bella". It was a resounding success, ending with
a standing ovation for the musician, a piano virtuoso who made his debut at the Sala Verdi in Milan at just eleven years
old. As the concert drew to a close, a lady from the audience requested to hear Mozart's K448. Though originally composed
for four hands on two pianos, Bacchetti, despite being surprised by the request, took on the challenge. Returning to the
keyboard, his slender fingers tackled the piece on a single piano - a performance of immense difficulty. Bacchetti
caressed the keys softly, interpreting the melody with a unique arrangement requiring high-level technique. Mozart's K448
melody is often discussed for the effect it may have on certain individuals. Since the early 1990s, various studies have
explored the benefits this music can offer to the brains of people with epilepsy - benefits that other melodies do not
seem to produce. These studies suggest a reduction in epileptiform discharges in as many as 84% of tested subjects.
While research continues to determine the minimum exposure required for long-term effects, it remains striking that
listening to this sonata for an average of just 30 seconds can produce at least temporary results. Could it be true?
The next appointment of the Amici della Musica concert season will take place on Sunday, February 1st, at 6:15 PM,
featuring the classical sextet Choro & MPB, composed of accordion, guitars, flute, percussion, and the vocals of
Josè Rallo.
Salvatore Giacalone