A busy fall is in store for Luca Francesconi in Milano, where the city’s leading music institutions will be presenting a series of performances featuring his most important compositions.

Eight years after its world premiere, on October 5 La Scala presents Quartett (with repeat performances through October 22). The opera debuted in 2011, and that same year won the Abbiati Award. Quartett has since been performed more than 70 times, with 8 different productions at major venues in Europe and North and South America.

Also in October, complementing the high-profile performance at La Scala and in keeping with the consolidated collaboration between the two institutions, for its 28th edition, the Festival Milano Musica pays tribute to the music of Francesconi with Luca Francesconi. Velocità del tempo. The Festival runs from October 2 through November 25.
True to the spirit of the Festival, fifteen of Francesconi’s compositions will be featured at 24 performances in a dialogue with pieces by composers of the past and present that makes for an ideal artistic itinerary. 

The program includes two world premieres, Zero Formula II for guitar and ensemble, and Tracce for saxophone; 5 Italian premieres, das Ding singt, concert for cello and orchestra (2017), Macchine in Echo concert for two pianos and orchestra (2015), Secondo Concerto for oboe and ensemble (1991), Time, real and imaginary for soprano and ensemble (2009), and Animus IIb (2018). Also slated are performances of important Francesconi compositions like Duende. The Dark Notes concert for violin and orchestra (2013), and Etymo II for soprano, electronics and large orchestra (1994/2005), along with many pieces for chamber groups and solo instruments.

The scores for the compositions by Francesconi performed at this year’s Festival are available on nkoda, along with all of Francesconi’s releases in our catalogue. 

Performances will be recorded by RAI Radio3, with live broadcasts and podcasts. 


The Festival also features a series of videos produced by Casa Ricordi, in which Francesconi discusses several of the works on the program.

Photo: Roberto Masotti © Casa Ricordi, Milano