Liguria and Piemonte

Wagner stayed in La Spezia in the summer of 1853 and developed his idea of the prelude of Rheingold.

House of the ancestors of Paganini; his father was born here and the composer probably paid visits.  Since 2002 annual Festival Paganiniano (July, August)

Jean Sibelius stayed here February until the end of May 1901 - 'fuggiendo le nordiche brume' (flying from the Nordic haze) - and wrote his Second Symphony.

In the 13th century the art of the Troubadours from nearby Provence flourished also in Genua. Favourite city of the older Verdi, but no first performances of his operas.

Nicolò Paganini was born in 1782 at Passo di Gatta Mora 38 (demolished in 1971 for the office of Regione Liguria) - two plaques.

Paganini's baptismal church - now belonging to the Conservatory, concert hall.

The town hall houses Paganini's violin 'Il Canone' (by Guarneri, 1742) and some more objects in a showcase - formerly in a safe with glass window (photo). 

The composer Alesandro Stradella (1642-1682) lived from 1777 with the Brignole-Sale family, until his violent death; he was murdered on 25 Febr. 1682 at Piazza Bianchi. The palace is a museum now.

Allessandro Stradella was buried here - his grave was formerly unknown but discovered in 2003. 

Oratorio tradition in the 18th century - Boccherini and Paganini appeared here - Music academy between 1866 and 1936  - Now concert hall.

Apartment of the composer and conductor Angelo Mariani (1821-1873) from the 1850s. Verdi stayed here during the winters of 1869-74 (second floor). Plaque on Via San Benedetto.

After Mariani's death, Verdi stayed here during the winters of 1874-94.

Built in 1828, destroyed in 1942, rebuilt in 1991 - opera, ballet, concert; 2000 seats (no boxes, exceptional in Italy). At the entrance Paganini monument (by Livio Scurpella, 2021)

Conservatorio Nicolò Paganini  - Paganini archive.

Graves of Michele Novaro (national anthem Fratelli d'Italia, †1888), the librettist Felice Romani (†1865), Paganini's pupil Camillo Sivori (†1894), the conductor and composer Luigi Mancinelli (†1921).

Collection of Chinese and Japanese instruments

Paganini monument (by Franco Repetti, 2013) near the location of the summer house/kitchen garden of the Paganini family; The composer lived here from 1801 to 1804.

built 1853 - opera, concert 

Last house since 1909 of the composer Francesco Cilea (1866-1950); maintaining public access not warranted - Outside: Cilea monument.  His best known work: opera Adriana Lecouvreur.

The composer Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886) stayed here in 1885.

Birthplace of the composer Luciano Berio (1924-2003), in a green residential area.

Last house of the composer Franco Alfano (1875-1954); he lived here from 1914.

Collection of musical instruments, including mechanical instruments, phonographs etc.

World music instruments, collected by Giovanni Battista Goletti.

Museum of the harpist Victor Salvi, who made harps since 1955 in the course of a family tradition from the early 19^th century.

From 1563 until 1870 capital of Savoy.  In the 17^th century the court music and ballet followed French patterns.   In the 18^th century, the great violinists Somis (1686-1763) and Pugnani (1731-1798) were active here; both were born and died in Turin.  Baron Alberto Franchetti (1860-1942) was born in Turin; composer of the opera Cristofori  Colombo.

Until 1870 capital of the liberated parts of Italy. Verdi attended the proclamation of the Kingdom in 1861 as a member of the parliament. His name had been linked to the battle for independency. The slogan Viva V.E.R.D.I. , seeming innocent, meant  Viva Vittorio Emanuele Re D’ Italia.

Former ducal palace, main centre of musical life in the 17th and 18th century.  Sigismondo d'India worked here from 1611 to ‘23.

Built in 1738, destroyed in 1936, rebuilt in 1973 - opera, ballet, concert 

Built in 1753, important opera and ballet theatre during the 19th century. Toscanini made his conducting debut here on 4.XI.1886 with the opera Edmea by Catalani. Now drama theatre.

The composer and violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti lived here from 1766 to 1775 as a foster-child of prince Alfonso del Pozzo della Cisterna.

Former Albergo Dogana Vecchia. Verdi stayed here in 1858 and 1861. The plaque and other Mozart memorabilia are out of place; he didn't stay here, see next item.

In fact, Mozart stayed in the then called 'dogana nuova', just around the corner, from 14 to 31 Januari 1771; meetings with Paisiello and Pugnani.

Grave of the violinist and composer (Giulio) Gaetano Pugnani (1731-1798). He was born and died in Turin but made extended concert tours through Europe. - Fritz Kreisler 'borrowed' his name for some of his own compositions...

Birthplace of the composer Alfredo Casella (1883-1947).

The Conservatorio proceeded from the Istituto Musicale della Città de Torino (1866) - chamber music hall and 'Galleria degli Strumenti' with a collection of 130 instruments.

The library includes the collections Foà (Vivaldi) and Giordano, organ tablatures a.o. 

Concert hall of RAI broadcasting company since 1952. Originally a Hippodrome from 1856, after that altered into the theatre Vittorio Emmanuele II.

Former Fiat factory area, redesigned by Renzo Piano - Auditorium G. Agnelli

Birthplace of the composer baron Alberto Franchetti (1860-1942), best known of his operas, incl. Cristoforo Colombo (1892) and Germania (1902).  He lived here until 1871.

The composer baron Alberto Franchetti (1860-1942) would frequently have stayed in this luxurious chalet, which his father Raimondo and mother Sara Louise Rothchild had built in 1861, one year after Alberto's birth in Turin.

Collection of instruments and  Musicarium, a multimedia performance about music (30 minutes).

Museum of 'the sounds of rural communities', including folkloristic instruments.

Luigi Arditi (1822-1903, England) was born in Crescentino as the son of the owner of the Café di Città (now Olympic). He composed operas and popular songs, incl. Il Bacio. Plaque in council chamber

Birthplace of the composer and violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824).

The cubist style Viotti monument (Dezza 1955) is much disputed in the village.

A more conventional memorial tablet for Viotti.

Lorenzo Perosi (1872-1956), born in Tortona, was composer and Maestro della Capella Sistina in Rome from 1898. Two plaques at the back side and a monument opposite the front of the cathedral.

Finding-place of numerous Vivaldi autographs of unknown works during a claerance in 1926; now in Torino (collection Foà). The hesitating start of the Vivaldi revival.

Built in 1791, closed in 1861. Since 1990 modest supply of operettas and concerts

Many manuscripts and choirbooks from the 16th century.

Opened in 1888, 1500 seats, opera, ballet, concert - location of annual conductors' contest (Premio Cantelli)

Birthplace of the promising conductor Guido Cantelli (1920-1956), who died by an plane crash.

Collection of wind instruments and 'the making of'  (local tradition)  

Villa of the composer Umberto Giordano (1867-1948), named after his opera Fedora from 1898; he lived here from 1904 to 1924..

Memorial tablet for Giordano

Bust of the conductor Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957).

Villa Toscanini (not accessible), European pied-à-terre of the composer, living in the USA.

Summer house of Puccini 1890-92, composition of Manon Lescaut

Former Trattoria Rizza - Leoncavallo stayed here in 1891