Asia opens the door to the Roman song and to Mrs. Bonelli’s lecture.
“An Asian tour to introduce the Roman song and its history, especially for very different cultures and populations”, explains Mrs. Bonelli on her return to Italy, after her tour in China and Japan. Today marks thirteen years since she has dedicated her voice to spread the Roman song in the world and now, she is able to bring it into famous theatres and auditorium of three renowned Chinese metropolis.
Regarding the Japan, Mrs. Bonelli says: “At the beginning of this adventure, I could only imagine that the Tokyo audience should be very passionate for my concert Rome is Music, because I have already visited the city but I really could never imagine that they can so appreciate the Roman song lecture. I was surprised to see the wonderful and crowded Umberto Agnelli Auditorium of Gae Aulenti in Tokyo and the Theatre of the Italian Cultural Institute in Pekin, where so many people listened attentively two hours of Lectio Magistralis about the history of the Roman song. An thoughtful public with lots of interesting questions, an authentic satisfaction”.
What struck you the most in China? “ The Chinese audience was really surprising for me – she declares – because it is generally not very passionate and even inclined to clap a lot. On the contrary, in Tianjin, in Pekin and, then, in Chongqing it was gorgeous…at the very beginning the audience was a bit aloof so I thought that it was not very interested but, at the end, people didn’t want to go away and I could continue for a very long time, giving lots of encore till the bitter end.
After Tianjin and Pekin, where the audience was really interested into the Balzani, Rustichelli and Trovajoli’s melodies, the most striking moment was the inaugural concert for the Italian Chamber of Commerce in this city of 33 million of inhabitants. An important Italian – Chinese event for the relationship between the two countries, with the participation of the Chinese economy tycoon, the best diplomatic authorities and the high representatives of Italian companies in China, ministers and representatives of the Pekin government, all the Chinese upper class”.
Was the concert in Chongqing an unexpected success? “Absolutely wonderful. After the projection of Tanto pe’ Cantà – Roman songs, that promoted the beautiful city of Rome and its region, there was an immense enthusiasm, until the end, when I sang Arrivederci Roma in Chinese. A big emotion and a life experience, especially after having been able to involve a so apparently distant audience”.
Lots of requests rained down for another concert, as soon as possible, in China. Elena Bonelli is already thinking about it.
Arte Italia nel Mondo – Press Office