photography. Courtesy Azienda di Soggiorno e Turismo di Bolzano
Crowned as a UNESCO Creative City of Music since 2023, the sounds of Bolzano are best experienced in the echo of its concert halls, at late night orchestra rehearsals with Stadt Kapelle Bozen or in the hallways of its world class music schools. The alpine city may be towered by the Dolomites, but at its very core lies a rich culture shaped by the arts. Schön! hopped on a direct flight from London on South Tyrol’s very own boutique airline, SkyAlps, to explore the Bolzano through the musical fabric that makes it one of the most unique destinations in northern Italy.
photography. Tiberio Sorvillo
In Bolzano, the pride they have for their musical heritage is ubiquitous. When you stop by the Parkhotel Laurin for a drink, you’ll find jazz. And don’t be surprised if you hear concerts taking place everywhere from the local prison to retirement homes and kindergartens. The musical pulse of the city is nurtured by an infrastructure that provides locals with the very best in musical education. “It’s super important to still invest in classical music,” says Professor Philipp von Steinaecker who was a student long before he became the Director of the Mahler Academy which nurtures young talent who want to become orchestra musicians. “The beauty in music is that you you take these pieces that are written maybe 200 years ago but you have to recreate them in the moment. So it’s not like you press a button and or you show a painting, actual people have to redo [it,]” he says.
Music becomes its own lingua franca in Bolzano, transcending the need for translation. “There was always strong interest in music because you can offer symphony orchestra concerts without doing one for the Italians and one for the German [speakers,]” Steinaecker explains. “So you can also open to other countries very easily because it’s completely abstract. It’s just a sound but it speaks to you directly or it doesn’t…the first connection is always emotional and that’s always a great starting point.”
photography. Luca Guadagnino
Bolzano poetically embraces its Austrian-Italian roots and it shows in every aspect of the city from its architecture to its symphonies. “Music doesn’t have any borders. We play and stay together, we we create community,” says Monica Losso, General Director of the Haydn Foundation, a non-profit that connects the languages and cultures that define Bolzano through music. From contemporary dance to orchestra and opera performances, they organise around 250 events throughout the year. “We want to create bridges,” Loss tells Schön! “Not only between the two provinces, but also at national land international level.”
The arts scene in Bolzano is rooted in tradition, yet its reputation for artistic excellence is also a hub refreshing talent like curator at Leonie Radine contemporary museum Museion and Principal Conductor of the Haydn Orchestra Alessandro Bonato, who is a tour de force named as one of Forbes Italia’s Under 30 figures arts and culture. Each are testament to the power of art in nourishing community and connection across generations.
photography. Luca Guadagnino
photography. Courtesy of Azienda di Soggiorno e Turismo di Bolzano + Tiberio Sorvillo + Luca Guadagnino
words. Shama Nasinde
