The concert of the “Luigi Cherubini” Youth Orchestra took place at the Weasler Auditorium of Marquette University in Milwaukee, as part of its North American tour, which includes stops in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Organised in collaboration with the Fondazione Ravenna Manifestazioni, the tour is part of the “Per chi crea” programme, supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture and SIAE (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers). Founded by Riccardo Muti in 2004, the “Luigi Cherubini” Youth Orchestra brings together talented young musicians selected through auditions by a panel of professionals from some of Europe’s most prestigious orchestras. Named after the renowned composer Luigi Cherubini, the orchestra embodies a strong Italian identity combined with a European cultural vision. In 2024, it celebrated its 20th anniversary with major concerts in Vienna and Lucca, both conducted by Muti.
The cello quartet that performed in Milwaukee—comprising four young and gifted musicians, Francesco Angelico, Matteo Bodini, Luca Dondi, and Luigi Visco—was formed in 2024, born of a desire to explore and expand the musical possibilities offered by this type of ensemble. The concert programme combined original repertoire with masterpieces from the Italian opera tradition. The first part featured refined compositions by Fitzenhagen, Goltermann, Klengel, and Sollima, designed to highlight the expressive potential of the quartet. The second part was a tribute to operatic heritage, with arrangements for four cellos of famous arias and preludes—from Monteverdi to Puccini, including works by Donizetti, Mascagni, Rossini, and a rich selection from Giuseppe Verdi.
“The collaboration with the Luigi Cherubini Orchestra is a great honour for our Institute,” said Consul General and Acting Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Chicago, Mario A. Bartoli. “Maestro Riccardo Muti’s tireless efforts—as Music Director Emeritus of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra—to internationalise Italian musical excellence align closely with the strategic objectives of the cultural programming of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. This partnership offers opportunities and visibility to young Italian talents such as the extraordinary musicians of the Cherubini Orchestra. Their youth, the exceptional quality of their music, and the institutional context of their U.S. tour can only serve to enrich and further strengthen cultural relations between Italy and the United States”.
Following performances in Milwaukee and Urbana, the orchestra will continue its tour with upcoming concerts in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Madison.
Credits: Photographer Owen Weis
