A concert guest from Zurich may wonder during the interval, while taking a breath of fresh air and watching the shooting stars fall over San Salvatore by the light of the moon, why lightness of being is always a feature of Lugano concerts. Instead of wheeling out the traditional Mediterranean clichés or talking about the permanent holiday atmosphere in Ticino, they might be better off seeking an explanation in the concert’s start time: 20.30.
This gives people time to nip to the pizzeria for dinner and enjoy a glass of Merlot on the piazza after work. Everyone is refreshed, relaxed and happy by the time they arrive at the concert.
However, we learn over this glass of Merlot on the piazza that this late start is dictated by Ticino radio: first the news is broadcast, and then the music. That suits us just fine – and the orchestra too: the fact that all subscription concerts are broadcast means that the Orchestra Svizzera Italiana (OSI) can be heard throughout the canton, and even the world.
Take your seats, please! The orchestra follows its principal conductor, Markus Poschner, with enthusiasm and plenty of energy, and has developed its own signature sound. As the final applause rings out, we think back to the words of the conductor, who had told us over cappuccino that afternoon: “This orchestra’s talent for playing with great virtuosity and great delicacy is tremendous. It is a small sports car that is very sensitive and precise in its movements.” No wonder that its recordings over the past few years have been universally acclaimed – its versions of rare Rossini works are the jewel in the crown of any music collection.
Poschner says, without a hint of modesty, that the OSI was the toast of the town at Bayreuth over the summer: “We also need to be present on the European market: we are ambassadors for the canton of Ticino, and we are looking for competition.” As if he had sensed our doubts, he said: “We have a lot to offer that other orchestras don’t: here, we have our own perspective on music.”
To cite a few facts in support of his statement, he launched enthusiastically into an account of a concert in Vienna in spring 2022, where they played Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique”, despite the fact that the Vienna Philharmonic, under its star conductor Franz Welser-Möst, performed exactly the same piece the day before and the day after.
Although the OSI is in a good place, you also feel it needs to be very flexible in order to survive. As they like to say in Ticino, there is still work to be done. Visually at least, the orchestra has a cool northern look. Together with Estonian celebrity photographer Kaupo Kikkas, they travelled up the Gotthard mountain range and posed for some unique snaps.
Comments