Istrian Peninsula – The Italian National Music Committee (CIDIM), in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Zagreb, presents a double music event in Croatia. On Friday, August 15, at 9:00 PM, the historic Fort Forno in Valle d’Istria will host a concert featuring two exceptional artists: mandolinist Raffaele La Ragione and mandola player Giorgos Goumenakis. The performance is part of Bembofest, a vibrant festival in Croatia showcasing musicians from both the country and abroad.
As part of the Ossero Musical Evenings Festival, another concert will take place on Tuesday, August 19, at 9:00 PM, in the beautiful Church of the Assumption of Mary on the island of Cherso. The evening will feature the ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro, with Raffaele La Ragione as mandolin soloist.
“Born in Naples in 1986, Raffaele La Ragione began playing the mandolin at a young age. He regularly performs with various orchestras and chamber groups across Italy, Europe, and Asia, including China, Japan, and South Korea. In Croatia, he will perform on August 15 with the skilled Giorgos Goumenakis, and later in Ossero with Il Pomo d’Oro, an ensemble founded in 2012 that brings together internationally renowned musicians,” explains Francescantonio Pollice, President of CIDIM and the Italian Association of Musical Activities (AIAM).
“Thanks to CIDIM’s support, we organized two concerts highlighting this young Italian talent, giving him the chance to perform at two major events in Croatia, which have long attracted local audiences and tourists alike. Our daily commitment is to promote Italian culture in a country close to us, sharing traditions that resonate with our own,” adds Gian Luca Borghese, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Zagreb.
Both concerts are part of the Suono Italiano project, supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture – General Directorate for Entertainment. (9colonne)