André Peyrègne, the director of the Conservatory, Jean-Pierre Mangiapan, the President of the Bicentennial Committee and also a regional and general councilor, Gianluca Cortese, the Italian Consul General, and André Barthe, the Deputy Mayor for Culture of the city of Nice, simply mentioned the date of June 2, which is the anniversary of the death of the celebrated hero.
After the Italian and French national anthems, the Children’s Choir for Freedom will give a concert, with texts by Christian Gallo, recounting the life of Garibaldi and his role in the liberation of peoples and nations.
The program begins with “Calant de Villafranca” (in Niçard) evoking his childhood in Nice, “Le chant du départ,” which was the national anthem of France at his birth, “Brazil” (in Portuguese) in tribute to Anita Garibaldi, “The Magic Flute” (in German) symbolizing freemasonry, “Se canto” (in Provençal) about his time in Marseille, and the slaves’ chorus from Nabucco recalling his participation in the Risorgimento that led to the creation of Italy.
At this point, the emotion reaches its peak. The audience is standing, often in tears, and the applause only stops to make way for a gospel “Nobody Knows” (in English) evoking the great man’s time in the United States. His life, devoted to freedom, arms in hand, is symbolized by Moustaki’s song, “Ma liberté,” and finally, the children sing a capella Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the first European hero.
At this moment, the group Nissa la Bella joins the young artists to perform “Nissa la Bella” (in Niçard) by Menica Rondelly. The singers continue with Niçois songs, leading the children into a huge farandole throughout the auditorium. All the middle school students, freed from the stress caused by such a performance in front of a large audience, start dancing in the hall of the conservatory.
Tribute must be paid to Simone Casas, Mireille Fisichella, Jean-Noël Roblin, and René Patacchini, the singing teachers, who for months have taught the children these difficult texts in often foreign languages, under the artistic direction of Jean-Paul Alimi and with the technical assistance of the Conservatory staff led by Françoise Castellani.
It is rare for a concert to achieve such unanimity. Parents, students, teachers, and organizers congratulated each other at the exit, happy to have participated in this unique and exceptional evening.
Garibaldi is far from being forgotten in the memory of our fellow citizens, as our little choristers will probably retain an indelible memory of it. What a symbol to see that it is the youngest who celebrate the memory of the most honored man in the world, born two hundred years before them in their own city.
©Le Ficanas®
Photos: Zulaan
