Q&A With Enrico Bronzi: The Visionary Behind Sagra Musicale Umbra

Q&A With Enrico Bronzi - The Maestro Behind Sagra Musicale Umbra

Perugia, a city rich in history and culture, hosts one of Italy’s oldest

and the most prestigious music festivals every September: the Sagra Musicale Umbra. As one of the best known music events in Europe, the festival is considered one of the cornerstones of European classical music, along with the Salzburg Festival and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

At the helm of the event is Maestro Enrico Bronzi, artistic director of the Fondazione Perugia Musica Classica and the Sagra Musicale Umbra. Maestro Bronzi, a cellist and conductor, was born in 1973 in Parma, where he studied at the music conservatory.

Before starting his Perugia adventure in 2021, he founded the chamber ensemble Trio di Parma in 1990 and has played in the most important concert halls around the world. His career includes teaching at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and directing a number of important music festivals.

In an interview with Antognolla Magazine, Maestro Bronzi speaks about the history and significance of the festival and the rich musical traditions of Umbria.

Q: The festival is considered the oldest in the region. What is its history?

A: The Sagra Musicale Umbra, with its rich history dating back to 1937, was founded by Guido Carlo Visconti di Modrone. Its golden age was during Francesco Siciliani’s years. Despite its alternating fortunes, the festival today stands out as a major production with a theme, a story expressed in many, often imaginative, ways.

Today, the Sagra Musicale Umbra is not just an important musical event but also a spiritual vocation that attracts many of the area’s best energies. It combines the presence of great concert performers with the magic of the Umbrian land.

Q: Are there other festivals that Sagra Musicale collaborates with in Umbria or around the world?

A: The Sagra Musicale is an emanation of the Fondazione Perugia Musica Classica, which also supervises the programming of the Amici della Musica di Perugia (Friends of Music of Perugia). The Foundation is active all year round and organises classical concerts for all ages and at affordable prices.

Q: What is the theme of this year’s, 79th, edition of the festival, and where can people interested in attending find information about it?

A: This year’s theme is night. It will be expressed in many ways, including sacred music, opera, the music of many distant cultures, choral music, and chamber music. Information on the event can be found on social media and the website, which are constantly updated.

Q: What are your goals as director of Sagra Musicale?

A: The challenge of the Sagra Musicale Umbra is not just to remain faithful to its history but also to capture the continuous changes in the world of music enjoyment.

Q: Can you tell us a little about Italy’s music history and traditions?

A: One of the peculiarities of our research is that it often combines classical music with various paths linked to unwritten music. This was true in the past for Sardinian ‘a concord’ singing, for music linked to man’s work, for Georgian singing, for Hungarian instrumental music. This year it will be the turn of Cretan music and also Turkish music linked to the Sufi ceremony of the whirling dervishes.

However, concerning purely Italian traditions that are not necessarily popular, I am pleased to point out our work on Puccini’s La Bohème this year. Ultimately, this work was for us Italians what popular literature represented in the 19th century for other countries; that is our most authentic vocation.

The 79th Sagra Musicale Umbra was held on 6–20 September 2024 in Perugia.