An interdisciplinary project inspired by Gioachino Rossini
curated by Jacopo Celona and Melanie Zefferino

Italian Cultural Institute in Vienna – 12 January / 9 February 2017

Unveiling on Thursday 12 January 2017, at 19:00 hours, is ‘Terra Amica. Art, Fashion, and Music from Contemporary Italy to Vienna’, an event hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute at their premises in the Capital of Austria – Palais Sternberg, Ungargasse 43 A, 1030 Wien.

Promoted by the Florence Biennale, or International Contemporary Art Biennial of Florence, this interdisciplinary project has been developed bearing in mind the history of the host and their venue while drawing inspiration from Gioachino Rossini’s work.

Encompassing painting and sculpture as well as fashion and music, ‘Terra Amica’ (Friendly Land) virtually is a trait d’union between past and present. It also represents the different art forms through which Vienna and the cities of Italy have been engaging in a cross-cultural dialogue.

Franca Pisani – Trittico, ossidi, lacca e biacca su tela 150 x 100 cm.

The foremost woman-artist from Tuscany Franca Pisani is going to present her paintings and sculptures inspired by Gioachino Rossini in her solo exhibition ‘Visioni d’Arie’ (Visions of Arie). Indeed, her role as protagonist of the ‘Terra Amica’ project as a whole owes to her ability to entwine the visual arts with poetry, thus metrics and music, while masterly combining conceptual approach and experimentation with media to give new breath of life to creativity.

Imago Sonora Ensemble

Innovation and reinterpretation also lie behind the concert Superstiti. Rossini incontra la contemporanea, (Rossini Meets Contemporary Music) to be executed as a première by Imago Sonora Ensemble. Directed by Dimitri Scarlato, the musicians of this Ensemble from Rome are going to execute themes from Rossini’s operas and also music by contemporary authors such as Morricone, Scarlato, Trecozzi, and Verlingeri. All this with a view to revive tradition while stirring some reflection about the past and present by proposing new interpretations of historic structures – of thought, language, and music.

After the interval with refreshments, fashion is going to be showcased: within a performative catwalk entitled ‘Abiti ad Arte’ (Artful Outfits), Roberta Bellavista, Adriana Bucutea, Sara Carlino, Valentina D’Angelo, Luigina Epifani, Federica Gatto, Ana Maria Ghetea, Nadia Gorjan and Leonardo Ligorio are going to present their haute couture handcraft. These fashion designers share a passion for exquisiteness and preciousness, to which they give shape also by means of Swarovski crystals, embroidery with silk and metal threads, and appliqué inserts whose gleam evoke the sparkles of gold in Gustav Klimt’s colourful paintings. Finally, all the models will strut down the catwalk again wearing sculpture hats by Franca Pisani.

Istituto Italiano di Cultura a Vienna

On the closing date of ‘Terra Amica’, 9 February 2017, at 19:00 hrs, the conference ‘Arte e Musica d’Italia tra Passato e Presente’ (Art and Music of Italy Between Past and Present’) will be held as a concluding moment of an ideal journey through Italian culture. All this along a path aimed at showcasing the visual, performing and applied arts of our times, and yet reviving a heritage that is at the heart of the ongoing cultural dialogue between Vienna and different cities of Italy.

PROGRAMME

OPENING: Thursday, 12 January 2017.

19:00 – Greetings from a Representative of the Italian Cultural Institute in Vienna.

Greetings from the Director of the Florence Biennale, Jacopo Celona, and project presentation

with Melanie Zefferino, Curator of the Florence Biennale.

19.15 – Superstiti. Rossini incontra la contemporanea

Music by Rossini, Morricone, Scarlato, Trecozzi, Verlingeri executed by Imago Sonora Ensemble, directed by Dimitri Scarlato.

20.15 – Presentation of Franca Pisani’s solo exhibition, ‘Visioni d’Arie’.

Encounter with the artist and presentation of the curator, Dr. Melanie Zefferino.

20.30 – Interval with refreshments offerd by the Italian Institute of Culture, and wine tasting sponsored

by Tenuta di Artimino (Carmignano, Prato, Italy)

21.00 – ‘Abiti ad Arte’

Performative catwalk with models showing the haute couture handcraft by emrging fashion designers, namely Roberta Bellavista, Adriana Bucutea, Sara Carlino, Valentina D’Angelo, Luigina Epifani, Federica Gatto, Ana Maria Ghetea, Nadia Gorjan and Leonardo Ligorio.

Direction by Michele Casto. Coordination by Giovanni Iovene and Valentina Lanzoni.
Franca Pisani’s intervention with models wearing her sculpture-hats.

22.00 – Evening closing salutation.

CLOSURE: Thursday, 9 February 2017.

19:00 – Greetings from a Representative of the Italian Cultural Institute in Vienna.

Greetings from the Director of the Florence Biennale, Jacopo Celona,

19:15 – CONFERENCE: ‘Arte e Musica d’Italia tra Passato e Presente’.

Chair: Jacopo Celona.

Invited Speakers and Lectures:

– Dr. Daniele Carnini, Editorial Coordinator of the Rossini Foundation and Composer,

‘Vienna e Rossini’.

– Dr. Melanie Zefferino, Art & Theatre Historian and Curator.

‘L’opera di commedianti figurati da Firenze a Venezia a Vienna’.

– Dr. Adrian Hollaender, Scholar and Musicologist.

‘Il Belcanto rossiniano allo Staatsoper di Vienna’.

20:30 – Closing salutation.