Concert marks 45 years of Vietnam-Italy relations

A concert will be held in Hanoi on June 4 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Vietnam.

The Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam, H.E. Cecilia Piccioni, said
relations have blossomed in the past decades (second from the right)

The Gioacchino Rossini Gala Concert is held by the Embassy of Italy in Vietnam and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to celebrate Italy's 72nd National Day and the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam, H.E. Cecilia Piccioni, said relations have blossomed in the past decades. The two countries have shared experiences and collaborated on multiple issues such as pollution, natural disaster prevention and cultural heritage preservation.

Piccioni said culture was the most meaningful hallmark in the two countries' relations and was emphasised by president Sergio Mattarella during the visit to Vietnam in 2015.

Cultural understanding has also deepened thanks to many events held by the Italian Embassy in Hanoi and the Italian Consulate General in HCM City.

The concert will present works by composer Gioacchino Rossini on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his death on November 13. It will be led by conductor Carlo Magni from the Concert Roman Association. Other opera singers from the association will also participate are Paola Cacciatori, Francesco Tuppo and Allan Rizzetti. Pianist Fabio Silvestro and conductor Oliver Ochanine will perform with the Sun Symphony Orchestra of Vietnam.

The Sun Symphony Orchestra was set up in 2017 to help improve the lives of the artists in Vietnam. Half of the artists in the orchestra are Vietnamese and the rest comes from various countries.