Introducing myself

[GioCar]

Ciao a tutti

First of all, please forgive my English as it's not my native language.

I am a lifetime classical music fan. I still can see myself listening to Lohengrin when I was about 6 years old, now I am over 50... . I also listen to some rock and jazz from time to time.
I had formal training on the classical guitar, studied music theory, I'm a bit self-taught on the piano and I used to sing in a semi-professional choir for quite a few years.

Since I discovered some years ago the "power" of the forums (or fora?), my life as a classical music listener has changed dramatically.
I always have my lifelong favorites (the usual suspects, probably Bach and Wagner above all) but I have also discovered the joy of exploring new (to me) music and composers. I only regret not having enough time to explore everything I'd like to. Presently I'm reviving a passion that I had in my twenties for contemporary music.

I'm very pleased to see here some very knowledgeable members I was so lucky to "meet" in another forum (PetrB, COAG, SimonNZ, nathanb, Xenakiboy, aleazk, Eddie...Varese, ptr, Ukko, some guy - just to name who I recognized so far, some of them have changed their names) and I've already found some new nice and knowledgeable guys here.
I really believe I'm going to enjoy this site!



Gio

[SimonNZ]

Great to see you here, GioCar!

[Autumn Leaves]

Welcome

[GioCar]

Great to see you here, GioCar!

Hi Simon, hope you are fine. I've heard of a powerful 7.1 quake in the north of the country and of a tsunami warning.
But you are in the south, aren't you?

[GioCar]

Welcome

Thank you very much DSCH71! Easy to guess who is you favorite composer  ...
Have you ever listened to the symphonic cycle with my city orchestra (beside La Scala) conducted by Oleg Caetani?



Quite unknown, but it got excellent reviews (Amazon.com, ClassicsToday.com)

[Karl Henning]

Benvenuti, Milanese!  I've heard a few of the Shostakovich symphonies from the Caetani cycle, and the recorded sound, and the playing of the orchestra, are meravigliosi.

[SimonNZ]

Hi Simon, hope you are fine. I've heard of a powerful 7.1 quake in the north of the country and of a tsunami warning.
But you are in the south, aren't you?

Yeah, off the north-east coast of the North Island - which is about the best place for us to have a large-ish one, minimal damage, no fatalities. Yup, I'm in the south so either it didn't register this far or I slept through it.

But what about you? You've had your own seismic troubles over there - how are you and yours? I hope all are well.

[Spineur]

A (very difficult) test:
Do you recognize this opera house.  It was built by the same architect who built La Fenice.  It is 296 km from Milan and 100 km from Venice.
I love your country and go there at least once a year, for music and enjoyment.  Italian wines are the most underrated and offer the best value all around the globe.

[bhodges]

(Beautiful photos, Spineur.)

Welcome, Gio! And your English is probably better than many native speakers, so you will do fine here.

Have fun!

--Bruce

[Mirror Image]

Welcome aboard, GioCar! Who are some of your favorite composers?

[James]

Welcome aboard, GioCar! Who are some of your favorite composers?

The opening post mentions Bach & Wagner above all. The man has impeccable taste. 

Oh and in another thread .. he claims to have attended 3 of Stockhausen's LICHT operas .. being so "struck" by one of them that he had to go see it again a few days later. He's got range too.

A welcome addition to the forum, I'd say.

[Monsieur Croche]

Ciao a tutti 

Gio

Ciao, GioCar! You're a (virtual) sight for (virtual) sore eyes ;-)

But of course you will have a great time here... it is a music site where every one is a (virtual) adult 


Always best regards.

[aligreto]

You are very welcome. Have fun and post often 

[mc ukrneal]

Welcome and enjoy!

[Que]

Benvenuto, Gio 

Have fun, enjoy.

Q

[GioCar]

Thank you guys! your warm welcomes are much appreciated. 

[GioCar]

Yeah, off the north-east coast of the North Island - which is about the best place for us to have a large-ish one, minimal damage, no fatalities. Yup, I'm in the south so either it didn't register this far or I slept through it.

But what about you? You've had your own seismic troubles over there - how are you and yours? I hope all are well.

Happy to hear that.

We are all fine, no danger in Milan which is quite far from the places hit by the earthquake. But I'm very angry...I'm really fed up with all that, certain things cannot happen any more. Everyone knows that that part of the country is at very high risk. Humans have killed other humans, not the quake. And what it worst is that nothing's going to happen to change the situation. In ten years we'll be here again, weeping for our dead...

[GioCar]

A (very difficult) test:
Do you recognize this opera house.  It was built by the same architect who built La Fenice.  It is 296 km from Milan and 100 km from Venice.
I love your country and go there at least once a year, for music and enjoyment.  Italian wines are the most underrated and offer the best value all around the globe.

No, I didn't 

I had to start from your hint on Giannantonio Selva the architect, and search among his buildings. Is it the Teatro de la Sena in Feltre?
It's a little jewel indeed. I've never been there. Thanks for the finding!

[Autumn Leaves]

Thank you very much DSCH71! Easy to guess who is you favorite composer  ...
Have you ever listened to the symphonic cycle with my city orchestra (beside La Scala) conducted by Oleg Caetani?



Quite unknown, but it got excellent reviews (Amazon.com, ClassicsToday.com)

Thanks - I know about this Cycle (and some of the other members here have it) but I haven't heard it yet myself.
Anything I read about these recordings was very positive - If im in the hunt for a new Symphony Cycle in future I will keep this one in mind

[Spineur]

No, I didn't 

I had to start from your hint on Giannantonio Selva the architect, and search among his buildings. Is it the Teatro de la Sena in Feltre?

Bravo ! you found it, this was not easy.

It's a little jewel indeed. I've never been there. Thanks for the finding!

For the non-italian, Feltre is a (very) small town at the foothills of the Dolomite mountains.  It was popular with the Venitians who spent their summer there to escape the heat and the humidity of Venice.   Of course, they could not live without music, so they commissionned the construction of the Teatro de la Sena, which only seats 180 people (the happy few).  Here are a few picture of Feltre I took during the Pallio, which was taking place when we arrived.