L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY F e s t i v a l N a p a V a l l e y i s b a c k f o r t h e 2 0 2 4 Summer Season, t a k i n g p l a c e i n July at venues across Napa V a l l e y . O n e o f t h e m o s t exciting evenings will be on July 16th with the Maria Manetti Celebrates La Dolce Vi t a! Honori ng Sophia Loren program at Charles Krug. The concert will feature Maestro Carlo Ponti, Sophia's son, the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra, and 17-year-old pianist Vit- torio Ponti, Carlo's own son. Jean-Charles Boisset, owner of Raymond Vine- y a r d s , w i l l a l s o w e l c o m e guests at the patrons' dinner and have them explore the a r t o f w i n e o n a s e n s o r y level, a magical experience he describes in his book, Alchemy of the Senses. We met Maestro Ponti and pianist Vittorio Ponti for a duo interview before they traveled back to California, in early July. Maestro Ponti, where does your passion for music come from? On my father's side, they all appreciated music. Yet, music conceived as a career m o s t l y s t e m s f r o m m y mother's family. My grand- mother was an advanced pianist, though she never had a career because, during the '30s and '40s, it was very d i f f i c u l t f o r a w o m a n t o enter the field. My mother and her sister Maria are also e x t r e m e l y m u s i c a l . M y mother sang quite a bit and released a few albums in the '60s and '70s. I started play- ing piano at a young age and m y f a t h e r s u g g e s t e d I become a conductor. I think he secretly wanted to be a conductor as he venerated the profession. I followed his advice, so here I am. M a e s t r o P o n t i w a s d e s c r i b e d b y h i s m o t h e r Sophia as shy and funny. "I didn't know about this," he admits. "I'm quite reserved and modest by nature. Not sure I'd consider myself funny, yet I have a good s e n s e o f h u m o r . M o s t importantly, I have a lot of integrity. I try to do my best in whatever I do and the endeavor I'm putting myself in." Preparation has been a remarkable trait of Maestro P o n t i ' s w o r k : " I t e n d t o over-prepare, that's some- thing that I have to watch for. As a conductor or musi- cian, you also want to bring some spontaneity on stage. Over-preparation some- times thwarts that spon- taneity. One of the trade- marks of my concerts is a clear interpretive design; I work on it a lot prior to the performance. One is never ready though, never perfect. T o m e b e i n g r e a d y i s a mirage, a utopia. You can always bring a piece to a higher level, delve deeper." Vittorio will be playing with his dad, a great oppor- tunity coming with lots of excitement and a big audi- ence. Back in January, he performed the same piece that he will do at the festi- val. Some people were so i m p r e s s e d b y w h a t t h e y heard that they invited him to play this summer, too. Vittorio comes from a fami- ly where one parent was a pianist and now is conduc- tor, and the other, his mom Andrea Meszaros, is a vio- linist. Lots of music runs in the blood and is played in the house, so he cannot help but listen to it all the time. "I can hear my dad practic- ing his scores, and my mom having a lesson. I can't real- l y e s c a p e m u s i c . " W a s music a choice of his own, we asked: "Music itself was not a choice. If I had been given the option not to play, I'd definitely be still playing. I'm grateful that I was not allowed to quit and that I was free to choose the violin or the piano. Ultimately, I chose the piano." Back to Maestro Ponti, which moments left a deep- er mark, during your career so far? Time passes quickly, I've been in music for almost 25 years! I have legendary par- ents in the film industry and I ' v e b e e n i n s i t u a t i o n s where I conducted their film music. One of the most memorable moments is tied to the Festival Napa Valley, where I debuted the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra in 2014. Not only did the festival allow us to start the orchestra and begin per- forming, but it was also a tribute to my mother. Back then, we conducted a won- derful program, together with Daniel Brewbaker, a composer who passed and did this work especially for my mother. This year will be emotional and memo- rable because my son will perform here." In 2013, Maestro Ponti founded The Los Angeles V i r t u o s i O r c h e s t r a , a n ensemble devoted to the advocacy and support of music education, with the core belief that an orchestra i s a u n i q u e e d u c a t i o n a l resource. "Throughout my career, I've always empha- s i z e d g i v i n g b a c k t o t h e community and the younger generations. I made it a pri- ority to help young talents get their music education, e s p e c i a l l y i n A m e r i c a w h e r e , s a d l y , t h e r e ' s n o support. We collect the net profits of the concerts and allocate them to the music p r o g r a m s o f p a r t n e r schools. Also, we have an orchestra made out of the best professional musicians i n L o s A n g e l e s a n d g i v e young talent the chance to play with them and expose themselves as soloists". Maestro Ponti is a proud dad, also when he sees Vit- t o r i o ' s c o m m i t m e n t t o studying, practicing, and learning music. "Vittorio is a very good performer, he knows how to give his best when it counts. This is a tal- ent in itself, to have your adrenaline really work for you instead of against you, to give you a boost. That's when the public connects with you and Vittorio has that gift. I, for example, did not have it. I was a pianist before I was a conductor. I used to practice seven or eight hours a day but, when it was time to perform, I didn't have that same touch he got". V i t t o r i o l i s t e n s a n d , behind the young smile, there're many feelings: "I'm w o r r i e d a b o u t t h e p i e c e itself," he shares. "There's always some risk in playing, yet that's not the biggest worry. I don't know exactly what to expect with the heat in Napa either. But, at this point, I feel more excited than worried. To play with an orchestra is just amaz- ing, it's like an extension of myself playing the piano." What will make the Festi- val Napa Valley's evening more special is the spotlight on Sophia Loren, Carlo's m o t h e r a n d V i t t o r i o ' s grandmother. "The connec- tion is the legacy of excel- l e n c e , " M a e s t r o P o n t i underlines. "The evening is dedicated to my mother and her achievements in the world of movies and art. What comes out in the most salient and clear way is the deep dedication that she has to her art, the love with which she performs, the i m p o r t a n c e s h e g i v e s t o excel on the screen. That is something that Vittorio and I are trying to reach. We are dedicated to excellence in performance. I'd like to give a big nod of gratitude to Maria Manetti Shrem for helping us and making it all possible; she has been a f r i e n d o f t h e f a m i l y f o r decades and proved to be a p a t r o n o f t h e a r t s , a l s o through some remarkable donations." Festival Napa Valley's 2024 Summer Season takes place July 6-21 at venues throughout Napa Valley. M o r e i n f o a t h t t p : / / www.festivalnapavalley.org SERENA PERFETTO La Dolce Vita program honors Sophia Loren's legacy with performances by Maestro Ponti and pianist Vittorio Ponti Sophia Loren and her son, Maestro Carlo Ponti (Photo courtesy of Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti)

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