No rejection, but a favorable opinion with the request for endorsement at the highest levels. Contrary to what some newspapers report, the Superintendence of Parma and Piacenza never blocked Maestro Riccardo Muti’s proposal for an event at Villa Verdi. Indeed, he would have promoted it, leaving the final decision to the Minister of Culture given the importance of the initiative. A letter from the Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage refutes the hypothesis of a stop sent to the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, viewed exclusively by Adnkronoswhich reconstructs the proposal process. The document clearly states that the Department, after having consulted the Superintendency, “favorably evaluates the implementation of the initiative”, deeming it “consistent with the protection, valorisation and promotion activities underway at Villa Verdi”.
The letter reveals that the intention was not to stop the project. “Due to the importance of the event – writes the Department – it is however considered appropriate to submit the matter to the Minister of Culture, in order to evaluate the opportunity to favor the initiative”. But there’s more. According to what Adnkronos reports, the same minister had already personally guaranteed Maestro Muti his full support for the project, confirming his favorable opinion.
The initiative, put forward by Muti together with Cristina Mazzavillani, involved a television event, not a concert for the public, in which the maestro would perform pieces on the piano in the presence of great names in opera. The hypothesized date of 12 September was only indicative, to be agreed precisely to ensure the presence of the highest institutional positions, starting with the Minister. In the letter, the Department for the protection of cultural heritage underlines how “the presence of Maestro Riccardo Muti, a personality of undisputed international prestige and authoritative interpreter of Verdi’s musical heritage, could contribute to changing the public perception of the Villa, transforming its perception from a ‘disputed and closed asset’ to a ‘living construction site of culture'”. An opportunity, we further read, to also present the collaboration with the FAI as “a virtuous model of public-private subsidiarity” and attract sponsors.
Giuli: “Unfounded news no Superintendency at Muti concert at Villa Verdi”
“The information relating to the alleged denial by the Superintendence of maestro Muti’s concert at Villa Verdi is totally unfounded” the Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli declared to Adnkronos two hours ago, regarding the news according to which maestro Riccardo Muti was banned from holding the concert scheduled for 12 September in the villa museum of Villanova d’Arda, between Parma and Piacenza. “Someone will soon have to apologize to Maestro Muti and the Minister of Culture” Giuli said.