Centuries-old Italian-made instruments took centre stage for conductor Gianandrea Noseda's triumphant return to Milan's Teatro alla Scala, leading the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra.
ADVERTISEMENTWhen Gianandrea Noseda conducts an orchestra, he wants the instruments to "imitate vocal voices … even if they are absent”.
He calls this an "Italian style" of playing and in his seasons at the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra, Noseda has been working to infuse the American orchestra with his Italian influence.
To achieve this, Noseda has loaned the orchestra with nine stringed instruments that he personally acquired from renowned Italian master luthiers dating from 1686 to 1835.
These instruments, including seven violins, one viola, and one cello, are typically far too costly for most orchestral musicians.
“It is difficult to find a musician who owns a Stradivari. At least, I don't recollect in my memory. A Stradivari always belongs to a bank, or to a foundation, a collector,” says Noseda.
Noseda began loaning the instruments over a decade ago.
“It was my way to give back a bit of what music gave me. And with this gesture, I motivate players in the orchestra, who received these instruments, and it helps me to increase the quality of the strings sound, and the sound of the orchestra," he explains.
The historic instruments took centre stage at Noseda and the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra's recent performance at Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
For the musicians, playing the prized instruments has challenged them to search for new sounds.
Principal second violinist, Marissa Regni has been playing a Santo Serafin made in Venice in 1725.
“This is a very sweet sounding instrument under the ear… It's just kind of very sweet, but also just very rich, luscious sound at the same time,” she says.
The orchestra's La Scala performance included an original composition by the Kennedy Center’s in-house composer Carlos Simon.
“I think one of America's greatest exports is its Black American music. And to combine that with classical music, I think it's a special task,” says Simon.
Noseda’s and the orchestra's energetic performance at La Scala on Monday 26 February marked the emotional highlight of the NSO's nine-city European tour, its first in nearly a decade.
It was both a homecoming for the 59-year-old and the orchestra's debut to the famously exacting La Scala audience.
