Pärt, Šostakovič, Ravel and more: the Festival celebrates the 2025 anniversaries

The tribute for Arvo Pärt’s 90th birthday and the anniversaries of Shostakovich and Ravel, the remembrance of Napoleon’s departure from Elba and the end of World War II: the 2025 Festival weaves music and memory together with outstanding performers.
The 29th Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa Festival once again weaves together great music and cultural memory, paying tribute to several significant musical and historical anniversaries of this year.

The Festival will open on Friday, August 29 at the Teatro dei Vigilanti “Renato Cioni” in Portoferraio with Gidon Kremer, who will anticipate the 90th birthday of Arvo Pärt (September 11) by performing with the Elba Festival Orchestra one of the Estonian composer’s most iconic works: Fratres, in the version for violin, percussion and string orchestra. On the same evening, rising Belgian star Pauline van der Rest will perform Mendelssohn’s Concerto in D minor for violin and strings MWV 03.

On Wednesday, September 3, one of the Festival’s most anticipated events will be the return of Martha Argerich: the legendary Argentine pianist will perform Šostakovič’s Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and String Orchestra op. 35, joined by Alfonso González Barquín, principal trumpet of the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The evening will also feature Schumann’s Piano Quintet op. 44, a cornerstone of the chamber music repertoire.

The 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel’s birth will be honoured with two events: on Friday, September 5, a monographic concert featuring Roman Simovic, Erica Piccotti and Enrico Pace, in a performance of the Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano; and on Friday, September 12, the Quartetto Indaco will present Ravel’s String Quartet in the beautiful acoustic setting of the Church of Santa Chiara d’Assisi in Marciana Marina.

Monday, September 1 will be a day of remembrance: 80 years after the end of the Second World War, the Festival will offer an intense and contemplative programme, including Britten’s Lachrymae op. 43 (Reflections on a song by John Dowland), alongside works by Lutosławski, Hindemith, and Beethoven, with exceptional performers such as cellist Edgar Moreau, making his Festival debut.

Finally, on Tuesday, September 2, to mark 210 years since Napoleon’s departure from Elba, a special event combining music and spoken word will take place: Annie Dutoit Argerich will narrate Schoenberg’s Ode to Napoleon, based on a text by Byron, accompanied by the Festival Soloists. The evening will close with Schubert’s famous Trout Quintet.

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