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Passione Classica – Mozart to Haydn: the Trumpet’s Voice
“Passione Classica – Festival of Music, Culture and Community” is an event by Officina Filarmonica dedicated to classical music, taking place from May 10 to 24, 2026 in Rome, at the Cloister of Santa Maria in Via, in the heart of ancient Rome.
The Festival was created as an opportunity for people and cultures to meet: lessons, concerts, and moments of sharing intertwine to create an open space where music becomes a collective experience and an opportunity for cultural growth, both for individuals and for the community.
Go to the Festival Programme »
Mozart to Haydn: the Trumpet’s Voice
Lecture-Concert – May 24, 2026
The third and last event of the Festival will be held on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at 5:00 pm, featuring a lecture-concert titled “Mozart to Haydn: the Trumpet’s Voice“, performed by the Musicians of Officina Filarmonica, under the musical direction of Maestro Rocco Sbardella.
The lecture-concert is dedicated to the Concerto in E-flat major, Hob:VIIe:1 by Franz Joseph Haydn, composed in 1796, one of the most important and best-known works in the trumpet repertoire.
A wind instrument with a bright and brilliant timbre, the trumpet has long been associated with a solemn and festive character. With this concerto, Haydn significantly expands its expressive possibilities, thanks also to the technical innovations introduced in the instrument at the time (the keyed trumpet), which allowed for greater agility and a wider range of notes.
The virtuosity of the soloist in Haydn’s concerto is contrasted with the refined dialogue of the strings in Mozart’s Divertimento No. 3 in F major, K138, written only twenty years earlier, in which the writing for strings alone privileges an internal balance between the parts: no instrument stands out permanently above the others, creating a sense of natural interplay between the voices.
Through the comparison between the two works, it is possible to gain insight into key aspects of the evolution of musical styles at the end of the 18th century.
Musical Programme
The musical programme of the lecture-concert is as follows:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Divertimento for strings No. 3 in F major – K 138- Allegro
- Andante
- Presto
- Franz Joseph Haydn
Concerto in E-flat major, Hob:VIIe:1- Allegro
- Andante
- Finale. Allegro
Solo Trumpet
The lecture-concert will feature Maestro Riccardo Gai as trumpet soloist. A lawyer by profession, he began studying the trumpet at the age of five, later perfecting his skills under Maestri Sandro Verzari and Mauro Marcaccio, and obtaining his Academic Diploma from the Conservatory at just sixteen years old. He has performed both as a soloist and as a member of numerous wind and orchestral ensembles. He has been performing with Officina Filarmonica since 2024.
What is a lecture-concert
The lecture-concert format of Officina Filarmonica is an immersive experience lasting about 60 minutes, combining live music with an explanation of its fundamental elements. It is not just about attending a performance, but about being guided through a journey that helps the audience better understand what they are hearing, interacting directly with the musicians.
After a clear and accessible introduction to the selected pieces, their historical context, and the most significant musical elements, the works are performed in full. This allows the audience to experience the concert more deeply and engagingly, transforming listening into a richer and more meaningful experience.
Venue and access
“Mozart to Haydn: the Trumpet’s Voice” – Lecture-concert
Sunday, May 24 – 5:00 pm (entry from 4:45 PM)
Cloister of Santa Maria in Via, Via del Mortaro 24 (behind Largo Chigi). Find out how to reach the concert venue.
Admission to the lecture-concert is free, subject to availability. For information, please contact us.
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