Two fundamental traditions of Italian culture - music and cuisine - were the focus of the 'Concert and Gala Dinner - Homage to Giacomo Puccini' organised by the Italian Embassy in Lusaka. This was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to which the event 'made it possible to celebrate Italian culture in an area of the world where it is very little known. The concert, conducted by Tim Robters - a British maestro living in South Africa - featured a 40-piece orchestra composed of local artists and students and a choir of 15 Zambian singers. The orchestra was composed by Japanese soprano Chinatsu Hirayama, who lives and teaches in Lusaka. Also from South Africa was the young tenor Mongezi Mosoaka, selected by the Cape Town Opera. Together, they performed some of Puccini's most famous arias from operas such as 'La Bohème', 'Madama Butterfly' and 'Turandot'. The event was streamed live on the embassy's Facebook page.
The evening continued with a gala dinner that 'paid homage to the Italian culinary tradition, offering a menu inspired by Tuscan cuisine,' created in collaboration with the Hotel Neelkanth Sarovar Premiere in Lusaka and curated by Italian Chef Flavio Tessari, who came especially from Italy for the event. This celebration was part of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, which also saw, in collaboration with the Hotel Neelkanth Sarovar Premiere, a series of Italian dinners organised at the hotel's Copperpot restaurant, from 8 to 12 November. Each evening, guests were offered a four-course Italian menu, with traditional dishes prepared under the guidance of Chef Tessari. The dinners were an opportunity to immerse themselves in Italian gastronomic culture, completing the experience that culminated with the concert and gala dinner on 14 November.
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