A weekend of classical music - Europa Galante, Aurora Mandolin Orchestra

The last weekend of January represented a good opportunity for those lovers of classical and traditional Italian music, featuring events with two different sublime “Ensembles” as protago Berkeley, welcoming Europa Galante and conductor Fabio Biondi in a program titled “New Faces and Old” featuring concertos, symphonies and a suite from the best known to newly discovered composers, including Brioschi, Scaccia, Haydn, Bach and Handel.

The origins of Cal Performances date from 1906, when shows at the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theater help rebuild public morale, after the devastating San Francisco earthquake and fire in April of that year. The performances range among Modern and Classical Dance, Theater, Instrumental and Vocal Recital, Early Music, Opera, Chamber Music, Jazz, New Music, World Music, Dance & Theater, and a speaking series. Cal Performances serves some 300,000 patrons annually through performances and artsnist.

Certainly a perfect Friday night start was the program of Cal Performances, Northern California's largest presenter of performing arts and producer of the University of California, education, residency and community programs.
The protagonist in this specific occasion was Europa Galante, which is an Italian instrumental ensemble specialized in baroque, gallant and classical music, founded in 1990 by violinist Fabio Biondi. The orchestra performs exclusively with old instruments, giving the execution a very peculiar timbre.

The incredible quality in live concerts, gave Europa Galante the privilege of reaching the most prestigious stages and theaters all around the world as: Scala of Milano, Santa Cecilia's Academy in Rome, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, Royal Albert Hall of London, Lincoln Center in New York, Théatre des Champs Élysées of Paris and the Sydney Opera House.

Their performance on January 27, at the First Congregational Church, Berkeley, one of the 5 venues of the 100 annually events held by Cal Performances, was absolutely excellent.
For those ones who missed the first concert, the second chance to enjoy an incomparable musical experience was the live of Aurora Mandolin Orchestra at Museo Italo Americano on Sunday, January 29.

The Aurora Mandolin Orchestra, directed by Josephine Pellegrini, comprising of mandolins, mandola, mandocello, guitar, bass and flute, returned to the Museo to present another varied program of authentic, romantic, and ethnic music.

The Aurora ensemble, originally founded in the late 1920s to the 1940s by Italian immigrants in San Francisco. The late Gino Pellegrini, mandolin virtuoso and “Bay area legend” by those who knew him, was one of its members and reformed the orchestra in 1970. He was their Director and Concertmaster until his passing in February 2006, at which time his wife, Josephine, assumed the role of Director and Conductor.

Under Jo's leadership with over 32 talented and dedicated members, Gino's legacy of bringing the vibrancy and passion of the mandolin orchestral repertoire to new audiences throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, pre- vails.
Aurora's greatest achievement was their performance in 1984 at Davies Hall, San Francisco Symphony's Festive Opening Night. They have given public executions to thousands of music lovers, including the Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park, Santa Clara University, and the annual San Francisco Mandolin Festival.

Today's formation features a smaller group of musicians from the Orchestra, referred to as the Aurora Mandolin Ensemble. It allows the group to perform for smaller venues ranging from concert hall, clubs and private parties.
They offered the public of the Museo Italo Americano, at the Fort Mason Center, a collection of famed song inspired to several Italian classic, as well to Europeans themes arranged by Italian composers: O Sole Mio by Eduardo di Capua, La Traviata by G. Verdi, La Vita è Bella by Nicola Piovani, Chanson Boheme by L. Gallini and Soul of Russia by Luigi Paparello are just few examples.

This largest orchestra of its kind in the San Francisco Bay Area will continue to perform many concerts for festivals and organizations throughout the area, preserving the uniqueness of this group in its varied repertoire including traditional and semi-classical Italian, Spanish, Russian, specialty ethnic and contemporary orchestral compositions.

Roberto Natalini
contributor