Lisbon – The first event in the “Musical Encounters” series, organised by the Italian Cultural Institute of Lisbon at its headquarters, will be dedicated to Gioachino Rossini. Taking place on 25 February at 6 p.m., the evening will feature some of Rossini’s exhilarating crescendos and his most passionate arias, while also shining a light on the “musical jokes” with which he left an lasting mark on the history of music. The talk will be led by Carlo Picchiotti, an author of essays, short stories and plays, and founder in Rome of the theatre company “I Bachi da Sera”, which has gained recognition at numerous festivals. Picchiotti, who studied both music and engineering, has for several years presented a series of lecture-concerts in theatres across Rome. His texts have also been selected by prominent directors for nationally staged productions.