The 54th International Festival of Contemporary Music will take place between September 23rd and October 2nd 2010. This year’s event is titled Don Giovanni and the Man of Stone and is directed by Luca Francesconi. As suggested by the title, the theme of this year is the well known character created by Mozart. The reason of this choice stays not only on the will to celebrate the famous composer, but also on the desire to celebrate the western myth of the Don Giovanni.

As the President Paolo Baratta observes, together with prestigious groups the scene will stage also young and very young professional ensembles such as MDI, the two wind and percussion ensembles from the Malmö Music Academy, and L’Arsenale. This event allows also to discover the talent of the new generations, more precisely students from the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory and the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice, thanks to their involvement in the development of the opera-installation Don Giovanni a Venezia by Luca Francesconi, next to professional actors, composers, designers, directors and singers.

The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement will be giventhis year  to the composer Wolfgang Rihm, considered author of music “always rooted in the material of sound, in rhythmic and harmonic power, with a lucid formal organization”. On September 30th at the Malibran Theatre, the composer will be represented by two of the most important works in his artistic career, performed by the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai, they are Schwebende Begegnung, Diptychon and Schwarzer und roter Tanz.

Complete Program of the Festival >>