Astanding ovation welcomed the 'Expo Friendship Concert' starring Turin's violinist Mauro Iurato at the Osaka City Central Public Hall, accompanied by Argentine pianist Pablo Escande.
    Tickets for the event, organized by the Piedmont region as part of Expo 2025 Osaka, were sold out in just a few days, with the concert hall packed with a Japanese and international public.
    The presence of many representatives of authorities highlighted the importance of the appointment: Piedmont Governor Alberto Cirio, Italy's Consul in Osaka Filippo Manara, the regional Culture, Equal Opportunities and Youth Policies Councillor Marina Chiarelli.
    The concert represented a journey back to the roots of violin virtuosity born in Turin, with a program paying homage to the great masters of Piedmont's school from the 17th to the 19th century: Somis, Leclair, Pugnani and Viotti.
    Iurato performed with an exceptional violin which had originally belonged to Giovanni Battista Pugnani (1731-1798), Turin's most famous violinist in the 1700s who directed the Royal Orchestra of the Piedmont city.
    "It isn't only an ancient instrument but a living piece of history", said the maestro.
    "Each time a play Pugnani with his violin, it feels like memory lights up through sound".
    The initiative, supported by the Foundation Compagnia di San Paolo and promoted by the Region, is part of a program involving Turin and Osaka in joint long-term cultural projects.
    The ticket booking system sparked particular interest as it was managed through a platform that allowed members of the public to express their impressions and expectations.
    "We asked participants why they had chosen to come and how they felt about this concert", explained Iurato.
    "The most frequent answer was that Italy 'went all out'" as the Japanese public "understood the commitment and earnestness we have dedicated to this Expo and thanked us for this bridge of communication between our countries".
    The evening's success is part of a journey that has already seen the violinist perform during three introductory events held at the Italy Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka on September 28, 29 and 30.
    The program at City Hall offered music of rare execution: the sonatas by Giovanni Battista Somis, who founded Turin's school after studying under Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi, Jean-Marie Leclair's Sonata in D major, elegantly mixing French style with Piedmontese tradition.
    The public also enjoyed a sonata by Pugnani oozing passion and technical virtuosity, while the grand finale was entrusted to Concert No.

22 by Giovanni Battista Viotti, an authentic jewel which influenced the birth of France's modern violin school.
    For Iurato, who was awarded the honour of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his outstanding contribution to culture, the experience in Japan represents a natural phase of his career: already a guest Konzertmeister in prestigious Japanese orchestras, the Turin-born musician is today a key point of reference for the promotion of Piedmont's musical repertoire in Asia.
    "Each concert here is not just music but a dialogue between cultures that recognize one another in reciprocal commitment", stressed the violinist.
    "The violin I take with me, with its gut strings and signs of the time, showcases a story of continuity.
    "And I believe that this continuity is the key of our work at Expo: giving new life to heritage in order to pass it on to the future", he concluded.

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