Now in its fourth edition, with some new features, the winter series of the LacMus Festival Waiting for Christmas returns — a series of five “widespread” musical events set in locations united by great charm and beauty. Decorated in festive attire and wrapped in a magical Christmas atmosphere, these venues will offer occasions to experience music in an intimate and original way.
Promoted by the Ars Aeterna Ets Association with the patronage and support of the Municipality of Tremezzina, the patronage of the Municipality of Valsolda, in collaboration with Villa del Balbianello, Villa Fogazzaro Roi, Villa Sormani Marzorati Uva, and with the Parishes of S. Abbondio in Mezzegra and of Oria in Valsolda, the festival takes as its fil rouge the desire for togetherness in anticipation of Christmas. Hidden yet precious stages will open to reveal the enchantment of the holidays and to offer a unique experience with the talent of young musicians performing in various ensembles — from the viola da gamba to the accordion, from the clarinet quartet to voice with accompaniment, from guitar to violin.
To open LacMus Christmas, there will be two musical events at Villa del Balbianello: the notes of the viola da gamba played by Virginia Bonaretti, followed by the accordion of Roberto Bottini, will enliven La Notte dei Presepi (“The Night of the Nativity Scenes”) — two special opportunities to admire nativity artworks created by the Italian Association of Friends of the Crèche, which will remain on display throughout the holiday season. The indoor Segrè Loggia will welcome visitors with music by various composers — from Tromboncino to Durant, from Bach to Schubert — as well as traditional Christmas pieces. The evenings will be accompanied by panettone and mulled wine served in the traditional LacMus Festival Christmas Mug — a gift for each visitor to take home as a cherished keepsake of an extraordinary memory.
This will be followed by the concert of the GAMA Clarinet Quartet at the Church of San Sebastiano in Oria Valsolda, adjacent to Villa Fogazzaro Roi — a magnificent residence overlooking the Como shores of Lake Lugano. It is an invitation to celebrate the Christmas atmosphere in a charming winter lakeside setting, a place of great inspiration and tranquility. The enchantment of the location will resonate in the ensemble’s program, which includes transcriptions of works by Handel, Verdi, Puccini, and traditional Christmas melodies. Founded within the Chamber Music course of the Cantelli Conservatory in Novara, the quartet — established by young musician friends — has won numerous national and international competition awards and is engaged in an intense concert activity. Visitors will be welcomed with hot tea and mulled wine offered by the Pro Loco of Valsolda in the LacMus Festival Mug, in the small square in front of the church illuminated by the light of sunset (in case of rain, the concert will be moved to the Villa’s grotto).
From the lake to Brianza — as happens in summer — the third event of the Christmas series continues at Villa Sormani Marzorati Uva in Missaglia (LC). In the Lecco area, beneath the Montevecchia hill, the Villa, thanks to the work of Count Alberto Uva, serves as a cultural center, an illustrious historic residence, an expression of a glorious past and a testimony to a bright, forward-looking present. The event offers a unique opportunity to enjoy a rewarding experience combining the value of sharing with the beauty of the place. With paid admission, Villa Sormani Marzorati Uva opens its rooms and gardens for an extraordinary itinerary where history, music, and nature intertwine in new perspectives. After an initial walk along the avenue of a hundred lime trees, illuminated by lanterns and the sunset light while sipping hot tea from the LacMus Festival Mug, the Chapel of St. Mary in the Villa will host the voice of Elsa Biscari — a young mezzo-soprano “with a softly nuanced tone and a measured, intense phrasing” — accompanied on the lute by Alessandro Guarneri. They will delight the evening with works by Caccini, Merula, Monteverdi, and Strozzi. After the concert, the evocative Sala del Torchio, the result of a recent restoration, will welcome guests for a convivial moment and exchange of greetings with mulled wine and panettone.
Music then becomes itinerant with the fourth Christmas Greenway on Lake Como in Tremezzina. The village of Mezzegra, rich in stately palaces, has been chosen for its charm, which takes on a fairytale quality in winter. Three short concerts, entrusted to young musicians with brilliant artistic careers, will guide the audience starting from the Church of San Giuseppe. The melodies of F. Sor and M. de Falla, entrusted to the expressive sound of the classical guitar, will fill the illuminated church with a scenographic glow. The path continues to the nearby Chapel of the Wooden Altar in the Church of San Abbondio. The splendor of the frescoes and the magnificence of the sculptural decorations will provide the backdrop for the duo of mezzo-soprano Elena Putrino accompanied by Roberto Bottini on accordion, performing music by Schubert, Brahms, Fauré, and Bettina Brentano von Arnim, as well as traditional Christmas compositions.
The third and final stage, after a stop at the refreshment point with mulled wine offered by the Italian Association of Friends of the Crèche of Tremezzina in the square of the Casa dei Presepi in the historic center of Bonzanigo, will take place at Palazzo Brentano. This important building will welcome participants with the violin of Ella Biscari, a young performer regularly featured in Early Music festivals and winner in 2024 of the Prize for Music with Ancient Instruments from the Milan Conservatory. The program includes works by Telemann, Biber, and J.S. Bach. With free admission, visitors will also be able to see the exhibition The Great Masters of the Nativity Scene, dedicated this year to Claudio Mattei — a set designer and artist from Ponte San Pietro — curated as usual by the master nativity artists of the AIAP Tremezzina branch.
