Italian and Syrian musicians came together Thursday evening for a special concert at the Damascus Opera House, marking the finale of Italian Cultural Week. The event celebrated the growing cultural ties between the two countries and drew a diverse audience of locals, Italians, and diplomatic representatives.
The concert opened with remarks from the Italian Ambassador to Damascus, Stefano Ravagnan , who described the cultural week as “a modest contribution to Damascus’s vibrant cultural scene.” The week featured culinary showcases, a music workshop at the Higher Institute of Music, and plans for a future conference in Rome highlighting Italian heritage in Syria.
Italian-Syrian Duo
The first half of the concert featured a duet by Italian saxophonist Francesco Bearzatti and Syrian organist Aghid Mansour. The duo performed eight pieces, beginning with Bearzatti’s original composition “Okima” and including Claudio Monteverdi’s “Beautiful Sunset”. Other highlights included “Prayer” by Italian pianist Comiso, Harrison’s “Good for the Soul”, and Ennio Morricone’s iconic “Cinema Paradiso”.
Bearzatti, told the audience he was “thrilled to be in Damascus, sharing the joy of music with Syrian audiences,” while the performances drew enthusiastic applause throughout the hall.
Gardenia Choir Bridges Syrian and Italian Traditions
The second half showcased the Gardenia Choir, led by composer Safana Baqleh. The choir opened with Baqleh’s own composition “Distant Skies”, followed by the Syrian classic “Ya Ein La Tadmaai” by Abdel Fattah Sukkar, and a choral-enhanced rendition of Morricone’s “Deborah – Once Upon a Time in America”.
Baqleh explained that “Distant Skies” was inspired by an ancient Ugaritic tablet discovered 1,700 years ago and translated into English. She described the program as a unique fusion of Syrian and Italian music, offering performers both a challenging and rewarding experience.
She also praised the Syrian audience for their openness to cultural exchange and enthusiasm for music, noting that the strong turnout underscored the importance of events like these.
The concert reflects a broader trend of growing cultural exchange between Syria and Italy in recent years, including Syrian Heritage Week in Italy and Italian National Day concerts performed by the Syrian Symphony Orchestra in Damascus.
