Festival Art and Music between Pelmo and Civetta. Mr. Dowland’s Midnight

Among the small villages of Val di Zoldo, Fornesighe retains an atmosphere that seems suspended in time.

The ancient stone houses, the tranquility of the mountains, and the church of San Vito tell a story made of art, faith, and traditions that still characterize this corner of the Dolomites today.

It is precisely in this context that the public is invited to experience a musical event of rare intensity, dedicated to one of the greatest composers of the English Renaissance: John Dowland.

Four hundred years after his death, Dowland's music continues to exert an extraordinary charm.

His compositions for lute represent one of the peaks of musical production from the Elizabethan era and are still loved today for their ability to express deep emotions with apparent simplicity.

Elegance, melancholy, delicacy, and virtuosity coexist in his pavans, galliards, fantasies, and variations, bringing to life a musical language of surprising modernity.

It is no coincidence that his works have transcended the centuries, continuing to inspire musicians and listeners of every generation.

This extraordinary repertoire will be interpreted by Paul O'Dette, considered one of the world's foremost specialists in the lute and ancient music.

His international career has led him to perform at the most prestigious festivals and theaters across Europe, America, and Asia, collaborating with some of the most important ensembles specializing in the execution of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire.

His recordings dedicated to English music are now considered benchmarks for scholars and enthusiasts, thanks to a rare balance between philological rigor, interpretative sensitivity, and expressive naturalness.

His presence in Val di Zoldo therefore represents a truly special opportunity to hear this repertoire entrusted to one of its most authoritative interpreters.

The choice of the church of San Vito makes the concert even more evocative. The building houses a precious altarpiece by Francesco Frigimelica the Elder, depicting the Virgin with Child and Saints Vito and Sebastian.

Among the details of the artwork is a small putto playing the lute at the feet of the Virgin’s throne. This is a detail that often escapes a first glance, but creates a surprising dialogue with the music performed live: the painted lute seems to almost take voice through Paul O'Dette's instrument, giving life to an ideal meeting between painting and music that transcends the centuries.

This connection between artistic heritage and musical heritage represents one of the most fascinating aspects of the proposed experience.

The concert is not only a tribute to John Dowland but also an invitation to observe with new eyes the place that hosts it, discovering how visual art and music have often shared the same languages, the same symbols, and the same quest for harmony.

The intimate sound of the lute, the beauty of the church of San Vito, the silence of the village of Fornesighe, and the landscape of Val di Zoldo merge into a single experience, capable of transforming a concert into a moment of authentic cultural discovery.

It is an invitation to listen, observe, and be surprised, rediscovering the extraordinary relevance of music that, after four centuries, still has the ability to deeply move us.

Free entrance.