A Magical Night in Turin, Italy!
Performing at the Festival delle Migrazioni was a dream come true
When I heard that my friend, Thoni Sorano, was organizing a festival in Turin, Italy and wanted me to perform there, I didn’t blink an eye.
“Of course!” I said. That conversation happened only a few months ago, but little did I know that Thoni had been working on this for five years to make it happen!
Thoni and I met through my friend, Stephanie Brancaforte, who was my college roommate. We became friends through the years and had a deep love and respect for each other’s artistry and talent. A Sicilian singer and a visionary, he has an elevated vision for bringing people together and uniting communities through music, irrespective of borders.
I told my husband that I was performing in Italy and he wanted to organize an entire trip to Europe for all of us (that meant pulling Erika out of school for a few weeks). I just heard about the festival a few months ago, and everything moved so quickly. The musicians communicated through What’s App, and I sent them my music and lead sheets, and when I arrived in Turin we just had a few rehearsals.
To reach Turin, my family and I first flew on the airline, French Bee, to Orly in Paris. We then took the TGV to Geneva and stayed overnight there with a friend of ours, then rented a car and drove through the Alps to Italy. It was out of a storybook!
My husband, Matthew, drove all the way through the Alps and we stopped at charming towns like Aix les Bains to pick up artisanal bread, cheese and coffee. We reached Turin in about four hours from Geneva, just in time for rehearsal.
The performance at the inaugural Festival delle Migrazioni in the stunning city of Turin, Italy, had so many magical moments. It was not my usual band (Sinan Eroglu on fretless guitar and kaval, Alireza Mortazavi, an Iranian performer of the santoor, and Thoni Sorano on vocals), but it was purposeful and aligned with the mission of the Festival: to bring musicians together and unite them beyond borders.
The festival organizer, singer Thoni Sorano, and I during soundcheck
The venue rented a stunning Yamaha grand
The venue was beautiful: now a performing arts center, the former cemetary San Pietro al Vincoli. When I entered the space, I felt completely lost in time. Italy has a way of doing this to you, and Turin, with its unhurried vibe, cobblestone streets and the lack of tourists (compared to Rome, at least), made strolling a pleasure.
Turin at night, almost cinematic in its appeal. No wonder countless movies have been filmed in Italy
The concert, BONDS Across Music Lines, was the very last program of the entire Festival, and sold-out and attended by hundreds of people. I was surprised, for a Sunday evening, the turnout exceeded expectations. At the beginning, a compelling lecture given by the famous historian, Alessandro Barbero, with singer/organizer Thoni Sorano, touched on how history and colonialism created arbitrary borders and how musicians can erase these borders with global and world music.
Performing and accompanying Thoni Sorano, who sang several traditional Sicilian songs like “Amuri, Amuri”
The response of the crowd to my ragas was phenomenal! I was so honored and elated!
Thoni and I with flowers post-concert
The love was so overwhelming!
The response to the ragas was absolutely phenomenal. I had several people write and tell me how much they loved them, which made me very happy. I improvised Bhairavi Blues with superstar santoor player Alireza, and that was one of the highlights from my set. It was such a pleasure to perform with talented international musicians. I also learned a lot of folk songs from Sicily since Thoni is Sicilian.
After the show, it was well past midnight. My amazing daughter, 12, patiently sat through the entire show; she was so ready to hit the sack at the B&B!
The following day, my family and I explored the gorgeous shops in Turin, which is famous for its chocolate, and also drank the signature drink Bicerin, made with coffee, hot chocolate and rich cream. To die for!
The drink Bicerin….sooooo good and so deadly….just look at it!!!!
We ended the tour with the band by going to a traditional Piedmontese restaurant called Porto di Savona (highly recommended if you are visiting Turin), complete with gnocchi, Ruche wine (a local specialty), and grissini (breadsticks).
There is no doubt in my mind I will return and perform in Europe again. I am working on a tour in France…stay tuned!