Elba Island Musical Festival Celebrates 25th Edition with Concerts Across Seven Municipalities
From August 26 to September 12, 2021, the 25th Festival Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa took place across all seven municipalities of Elba. George Edelman, who has served as artistic director since co-founding the festival in 1997, highlighted the importance of musicians staying on the island for their rehearsals. A notable event was held on September 10 at the Santuario della Madonna del Monte in Marciana, honoring the bicentenary of Napoleon Bonaparte, featuring performances of Haydn quartets by violinists Boris Garlitsky and Jaha Lee, violist Béatrice Muthelet, and cellists Giovanni Gnocchi and Simon Tetzlaff. Additionally, on September 11, cellist Mario Brunello and soprano Karina Oganjan performed at the church of S. Gaudenzio in Pianosa. The Magnetic Opera Festival, curated by Maggyart, runs through September, showcasing niche concerts, including one at Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie on September 10.
Key facts
- Festival Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa celebrated its 25th edition from August 26 to September 12, 2021.
- The festival involved all seven municipalities of Elba for the first time.
- Artistic director George Edelman co-founded the festival in 1997 with Yuri Bashmet and Massimo Scelza.
- A concert on September 10 at Santuario della Madonna del Monte honored the bicentenary of Napoleon's death.
- The sanctuary features 16th-century frescoes attributed to Il Sodoma.
- Musicians performed Haydn quartets at the sanctuary.
- On September 11, a concert took place on Pianosa, a former maximum-security prison island.
- Mario Brunello, Karina Oganjan, and Coro del Friuli Venezia Giulia performed at Pianosa.
- The Magnetic Opera Festival continues through September with concerts in Capoliveri.
- A concert for organ and saxophone by Johannes Ebenbauer and Georg Gratzer was held on September 10 at Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie.
Entities
Artists
- George Edelman
- Yuri Bashmet
- Massimo Scelza
- Il Sodoma
- Boris Garlitsky
- Jaha Lee
- Béatrice Muthelet
- Giovanni Gnocchi
- Simon Tetzlaff
- Joseph Haydn
- Napoleon Bonaparte
- Maria Walewska
- Mario Brunello
- Karina Oganjan
- Cristiano Dell’Oste
- Johannes Ebenbauer
- Georg Gratzer
- Ennio Morricone
- John Tavener
- Arvo Pärt
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Anton Arensky
- Ola Gjello
Institutions
- Festival Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa
- Elba Music Festival
- Magnetic Opera Festival
- Maggyart
- Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago Toscano
- Coro del Friuli Venezia Giulia
- Artribune
- Comune di Portoferraio
- Comune di Capoliveri
- Comune di Porto Azzurro
- Teatro dei Vigilanti
- Teatro Flamingo
- Santuario della Madonna del Monte
- Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie
- Casa dell’Agronomo
Locations
- Elba
- Italy
- Marciana
- Portoferraio
- Capoliveri
- Porto Azzurro
- Pianosa
- Monte Calamita
- Ginevro mine
- Santuario della Madonna del Monte
- Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie
- Teatro dei Vigilanti
- Teatro Flamingo
- Casa dell’Agronomo
- Camerino