"We wanted to invite a very important Orchestra to Georgia, because Georgian listeners are very skillful and experienced," Ambassador of Italy to Georgia Vittorio Sandalli told The Georgian Times.

On December 7, Italian Orchestra Camerata Ducale, held a concert entitled "Italian Vituosities" on the Grand Stage of V. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire. The visiting Orchestra performed music of Vivaldi, Tartini, Paganini and Giovanni Battista Viotti. The Embassy of Italy, in cooperation with Tbilisi State Conservatoire, organized the event.

However, the initiative to invite Camerata Ducale to Georgia was by the new ambassador of Italy to Georgia. "The event is the last of Italian Cultural Days program in 2007. I have been in Tbilisi since August and attended only the final part of the program. I would like to thank the previous ambassador and culture attaché, Rita Andreanelli for organizing this event," Sandalli said. Guido Rimonda and Cristina Canziani founded the Orchestra Camerata Ducale in 1992.

It centers its activities on detailed and patient historical and musical research at the Piedmontese school. The name comes from the 'Cappelle Ducale', an Orchestra formed by famous violinists which was based in Turin in the 19th century. The Orchestra plays two concert seasons each year and has cooperated with famous soloists: Salvatore Accardo, Uto Ughi, Cecilia Gasdia, Shlomo Montz etc. The soloist, Maestro Guido Rimonda, plays two violins: the Antonio Stradivari (1721) and Dario Verne (1991). In the two-day program, Guido Rimonda not only conducted a concert but also met students of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire on December 6 and held a master class: Development of Violin Art in Italy.

 Manana Doijashvili, Rector of Tbilisi State Conservatoire said, "The embassy of Italy initiates such cultural events frequently; Apart from this our students have the possibility to go to Italy and study there." If Georgia invites them, the orchestra may arrive in Georgia next year again or in several years. "But as usual, we try to invite different musicians to keep versatility," she explained. Tbilisi State conservatoire has tight contacts with many Embassies; it has cultural relationships with France, USA, and Germany.

The Conservatoire, according to Doijashvili, is ready to keep cultural relationships with the embassy and she is glad that a priority of Vittorio Sandalli is art and music. The concert was an important cultural occasion for the year 2007 in Tbilisi. Most of the orchestra came to Georgia. The violin Soloist was Maestro Guido Rimonda. On violins- Marina Martianova and Federica Biribicchi; viola- Emilio Eria; a violoncello- Daniele Bogni; double bass- Piermario Murelli; and cembalo- Cristina Canziani.

The Orchestra members are considered not only to be performers but also researchers of the music of 18- 19th centuries. It already found delivered many creations of composer Giovanni Battista Viotti to the listeners. The Ochestra is also involved in the production of the Opera Omnia of Giovanni Battista Viotti with over 30 CD's of his works.

 They are committed to promote the language of music amongst school students by means of theatre productions. Guido Rimonda told GT, "I hope that with my efforts I promote classical music through youth. In Vercelli where our orchestra exists, we work in two structures; we give concerts by tickets and we have concerts for just musical school students.

The Georgian audience is very kind and competent in music, I conducted master classes yesterday, and I saw many well-prepared Georgian students there, which is because they have qualified lecturers in Tbilisi State Conservatoire. " Rimonda expressed hope to keep cultural relationships with Georgia and underlined the important role of the Conservatoire in this regard. The audience's reaction suggested that the event was successful. The Orchestra performed Paganini additionally as the audience called for an encore after the concert ended.