Orient Express – A Musical Journey

The charm of a legendary train, the Orient Express, comes alive in this narrated concert where the history of the early twentieth century intertwines with the complex geography of Europe. Historian Romano Vecchiet, one of Italy’s leading experts in railway history, will guide the audience on a fascinating journey across borders, peoples, secret services, and mysteries along one of the most iconic trains of all time – the Paris–Istanbul line – made famous by countless films and literary works.
The orchestra will accompany the narration with some of the most famous railway-themed pieces (a surprisingly common subject among composers between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries) and with a few forays into popular music, recreating on stage the timeless allure of the
Belle Époque.

Provisional program:

• B. Smetana, The Moldau

• G. Rossini, Un petit train de plaisir

• J. Strauss, Die Zigeunerbaron (Overture)

• G. Bregović, Underground

• A. Honegger, Pacific 231

(The program is subject to slight changes, which may be communicated up to 30 days before the concert date.)