Stars shining brightly in the newly restored Teatro Cometa in the centre of Rome .

Massimo Spada and friends open their new concert series in what has always been known as the Salotto di Roma.

And what friends!

The finest young musicians on the International scene coming together to play chamber music in this wonderful jewel, reborn on wings of song.

Andrea Obiso, the youngest concert master ever of the S. Cecilia Orchestra, opened with a masterly account of Ysaÿe’s ‘Obsessive’ sonata n 2 for solo violin. A range of sounds and kaleidoscope of emotions that was astonishing and overwhelming in its impact . I have recently noticed the concert master at S. Ceclia – how could you not take your eyes off such passion and mastery as he drives his colleagues into playing with his same total commitment. Pappano has created an orchestra of players who listen to each other and with Luigi Piovano and other wonderful players were all used to playing chamber music with him and learning that a Great orchestra takes on the character of its components.

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I well remember the artistic director of the time proudly presenting Andrea to the public just before a symphony orchestra concert, as the youngest concert master ever. He gave a short performance playing a solo Bach suite with hypnotic mastery. It was this same hypnotism that immediately ignited the atmosphere in this jewel of a theatre created by Mimi Pecci Blunt, much as Conte Chigi had done in the Chigiana in Siena. A violin that speaks with a human voice and a range of sounds that makes one realise how Paganini could bewitch his refined society ladies and turn them into hysterical fans trying to grab a souvenir from their idol to take back home perchance to dream! Andrea today created an extraordinary atmosphere from the very moment he stepped into the spotlight. Just a man and his violin who could hold us in his hands with playing of almost theatrical character as this sonata by Ysaÿe kept interrupting itself with a revisitation of scenes from the Dies Irae. A tour de force for any violinist who not only needs technical and musical mastery but needs also to be an actor who can enter into this world of make believe and recount the very unique story that is unfolding.

Followed by three of Tchaikovsky’s seasons with Luigi Carrocchia lovingly caressing this magnificent Fabbrini Steinway and delving deep into its soul with poetic beauty. Many pianists these days insist on playing the complete seasons by Tchaikowsky (Lang Lang, Bruce Liu, Trifonov ) but there are those knowing that too much of a good thing can lead to boredom and chose to play in public only October to December. It was Ian Fountain ( winner of Rubinstein in 1989) who told me he plays in public only these three. October was a favourite encore piece of Shura Cherkassky who often used to play in that other much bigger Salotto di Roma that is Teatro Ghione. It needs a pianist of the so called ‘old style’ who can dwell on certain beautiful inner harmonies and make certain notes shine like jewels within this most nostalgic of melodies.

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Luigi on this beautiful Fabbrini Steinway played with just such ravishing colour and sense of improvised beauty taking us with him on a voyage of discovery into a wondrous land of sumptuous beauty. The ‘Troika’ is a miniature tone poem ( magically brought to life in a historic recording by Rachmaninov). Luigi played it with the same imaginary vast landscape with the filigree jeux perlé accompaniment over the tenor melody that was worthy of the pianists of the Golden Age of piano playing. A’ joie de vivre’ and brilliance to December concluded this all too short spot from a pianist who like Andrea is above all a poet who can paint pictures in sound.

In fact all through this concert there was the poetic commitment from all the artists, where colour, fantasy and artistic integrity were put before any thought of personal showmanship, even though their searing intensity and virtuosity was allowed to reign with mastery when asked for !

Luigi joined by Erica Piccotti , one of the finest cellists of her generation, whose golden tones reverberated with subtle innuendo around this magnificent space with Piazzolla’s Grand Tango. A true duo performance where Piazzolla’s intricate web of rhythms and insinuating virtuosity combined in a brilliantly played interlude before we could fully appreciate the searing beauty and intensity of Erica’s playing in the Rachmaninov Trio.

They were both joined by Andrea Obiso forming the trio that recreated the heart rending early ‘Trio élégiaque’ by Rachmaninov . This one movement work of whispered haunting beauty was played as one by a trio where each voice communed with the others with searing intensity and ravishing beauty. The gently whispered wave of sound from Andrea and Enrica created a magical atmosphere where Rachmaninov’s glowingly beautiful melody could be heard from a piano that seemed to radiate such delicate beauty from the very first notes. A very early work in one movement that I have never heard played with such architectural shape and meaning. These early works of Rachmaninov can suffer from too much detail that can suffocate the actual musical line ( Kantarow recently has been able to show us the way with the long neglected first sonata ). Three wonderful players who played as one with a give and take of quite extraordinary mutual anticipation ( to quote Menuhin). The searing intensity and golden sound of Enrica’s cello was now allowed to sing out and was taken over by Andrea’s wonderfully intense playing . Luigi playing with the lid fully opened because he knows how to use this great black beast ( as Graham Johnson would say when accompanying singers, not with their book(!), but with the lid fully opened . I am a good driver he would declare, if asked ). The wondrous murmured ending of theatre within theatre, created a unified work of heartrending beauty that I have never realised until this evening what a miniature masterpiece it really is!

What a wonderful voyage of discovery this inaugural concert was turning out to be!

It was now the turn of our host Massimo Spada, who was joined by Beatrice Rana in an intimate performance of Ravel’s ‘Ma mère l’Oye.’ Almost inaudible top notes from Beatrice barely touching the keys would suddenly become a sumptuous projected melody of golden beauty. Elsewhere too Beatrice would search for these contrasting colours just as Massimo would gently allow deep bass notes to open up the sonorities of this black box of hammers and strings, allowing it to be turned into a magic box of sparkling jewels. ‘Abracadabra’ two refined artists ,magicians and musicians , playing together with poetic understanding and beauty.

Extraordinary colours from Beatrice barely touching the keys as she drew us in to listen to such marvels . And Massimo creating the gong for ‘Laideronnette’ deep in the bass as they allowed ‘Le jardin féerique’ to cast its magic spell over us as we await many more marvels in this newly minted season in the months to come .

A party atmosphere backstage as these very busy young artists could relax and enjoy each others company taking time off from their busy careers to recreate music together in this beautiful intimate theatre .

As Massimo said,’ while many theatres are closing the reopening of the Cometa gives hope that quality rather than quantity is what our society is missing!’

If music be the food of love …….play on.

Hats off, Gentlemen, a blazing Comet has just landed in Rome……..we could have danced all night ……….