Today, on behalf of the President of the Italian Republic, the Ambassador of Italy to the United States Armando Varricchio bestowed on Gianandrea Noseda, Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, the honor of the rank of Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
The award ceremony followed the opening night of the 2018-2019 symphonic season. For this concert, Noseda chose a musical repertoire inspired by space and explorations, in occasion of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the first landing on the Moon. During the opening, the NSO announced that Maestro Noseda will remain Music Director for an additional 4 years up until 2025.
Noseda, Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra since 2017, was the Director of the Teatro Regio in Turin from 2007 to 2018, and starting from 2021 he will be the General Music Director of the Zurich Opera House. Noseda is “one of the most appreciated and in-demand conductors of our time,” the bestowal motivation affirms. “With this conferment, said Ambassador Varricchio, “we recognize and celebrate Maestro Noseda’s tireless commitment to promoting Italy’s musical heritage worldwide. Our cultural relationship with the United States,” continued Ambassador Varricchio, “grows richer and deeper, reflecting not only our unique artistic and musical tradition, but also the most recent developments inspired by the younger generations, toward which Maestro Noseda has always shown special interest.”
Ambassador Varricchio emphasized also the excellent collaboration between the Embassy of Italy and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and mentioned that the latter, in the Spring of 2019, will organize “Unexpected Italy”, a festival aimed at introducing to the American public distinctive aspects of our artistic and cultural heritage. From the most famous to the lesser known, from the most traditional to the very last tendencies, all Italian artistic traits will be presented.
