Composer Arvo Part Sacred Masterpiece Premieres Today At The Cultural Olympiad Of The 2006 Winter Olympic Games

"Estonian composer Arvo Pärt [now living in Berlin, Germany], pursuing an artistic quest strongly permeated by spirituality and linked to religious themes, is the author of this work inspired by the Holy Shroud and commissioned by Torino Settembre Musica. The work, titled "La tela traslata", is a world première performed by the Estonian National Symphonic Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, directed by Olan Elts. The programme also includes other works by the same composer: "Arbos"; "Cecilia, vergine romana"; and "Da pacem Domine"."

The World Premiere of this Sacred Masterpiece takes place today,
February 15, 2006, in the Duomo of the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista in Turin (Torino), Italy -- site of this year's XX Winter Olympic Games and Cultural Olympiad.

Source: http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/news/
news_ita64.html

"The [XX Winter Olympics Cultural Olympiad] programme draws together a number of artistic disciplines: contemporary art, ancient and classical art; classical, contemporary, and popular music; opera; theatre and theatre-dance; cinema and literature; history, society and special events.... Furthermore, throughout the whole Games, the programme will also make the most of the cultural heritage existing in the territory, such as museums and works of art and architecture, making them more easily identified and accessible."

More more informtion on the XX Winter Olympic Games Cultural Olympiad, see:

http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/
vieni_a_torino2006/
olimpiadi_della_cultura.html










Interior Painting (detail), of the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista in Turin, Italy, which was restored, in 1998, by cultural scientist Kristine Doneux.

Photo credit: www.arpai.org/it/ restauri-torino1.html (See below)

"Arpai, Associazione per il Restauro del Patrimonio Artistico Italiano (Association for the Restoration of Italian Artistic Heritage) is the new name for the Italian Committee of the World Monuments Fund. Established in 1989 in Venice, it is a no-profit organization dealing with the preservation of artistic monuments and working exclusively in Italy.

In 12 years, it has been carrying out more than 40 restoration projects in different regions; one of its tasks is that of spreading among particulars the culture of recovery and enhancement of the national artistic heritage that is universally recognized as the widest and most diversified in the world.

This priceless but fragile heritage has been suffering from the ravages of time and carelessness, but now, it is a widespread opinion that its recovery is no longer only the public administration’s responsibility. It is certainly crucial to implement preservation programs involving the citizens, both at the particular level and through ad-hoc associations.

Acting directly for the restoration and preservation of the artistic heritage and discovering forgotten and even neglected works, our Association finds allies in particulars and other associations sharing the common target of giving back to the public a leading heritage that risks disappearing.

Therefore, Arpai stimulates the public and the private to act in symbiosis."