MOSCOW, March 20, by Roman Kharrasov. Pianist Lorenzo Bagnati, having graduated from the conservatory in his homeland, Italy, went to Russia for further studies. Now he is actively touring the country, he has made friends and a girlfriend here. Why he made such a choice and how he lives here, the musician told in an interview.
Russia's Choice: The Adventures of an Italian
— You had a good career in Italy, but you preferred Russia for touring and life. Why?
— Russia has been unconsciously spiritually close to me since childhood. My parents are musicians, they always read the Russian classics to me and listened to the music of your great composers with me, including recordings from the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. When I had the opportunity to come to your country, I took it with great trepidation.
— When did you first visit Russia?
— At the age of 17 I was invited on tour and the master monthly classes. I didn't study Russian then, but I fell in love with the culture and people even more.
— When did you finally decide to connect your life with our country?
— I returned to Italy, graduated from the Venice Conservatory, and the choice arose: to go to the USA, Germany or here. Everywhere the professors were from Russia, and I thought: «Why should I study with a Russian teacher in America or Germany, when I can do it here in order to immerse myself deeper in the great Russian piano school?»
At the age of 20, I arrived without knowing a word of Russian. And I could not imagine that so many adventures and beauty await me. I immediately began to learn the language — 16 hours a week. And now I can read literature in the original — it's wonderful! I love Pushkin, Yesenin and Mandelstam very much.
True, until now the Russian language sometimes plays cruel jokes with me. For example, I confuse the vowels «i» and «s», calling my girlfriend not «Dina», but «Melon», I address my friend not «Dim», but «Smoke». But I am correcting myself.
— How does your family and your environment in Italy feel about you being in Russia?
— I have already said that my mom and dad are big fans of Russian culture. When I went to study in Moscow a few years ago, everyone in my family, especially my parents, was delighted. I remember how I called them next to the monuments to Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Tolstoy — they admired the fact that I breathe this air saturated with creativity. 
By the way, dad recently came to my concert in Moscow and was touched by the beauty of the city and the delicacy of people. It was nice that passers-by recognized him on the street from my videos and perceived him as a good friend. In general, he felt even more comfortable here than at home.
The best in the world: about the Russian piano school
—Italy is a great musical country, but you say that the best piano school is in Russia. Why did it happen?
— It's really incredible. The piano school in Russia developed very quickly. Great teachers played a big role in this. I can't help mentioning the Gnessin family. They worked hard with the children: on one floor — solfeggio, on the other — technique. I am proud to have studied at the academy founded by them. I will not hide that when a pianist from Russia appears at the competition, our people are worried (laughs). Italy is more famous, of course, for its opera school.
— What exactly is unique in our school?
— Emphasis on the harmonious participation of all upper body organs when playing. The chamber music teacher often touched me, checking the work of my body. It was rather unusual.
The Italian school, more precisely the Neapolitan one, is more about the fingers. And it can even be dangerous to isolate them, including for health: everything should be harmonious, as nature intended.
And I also like that in Russia they are stricter about memorizing notes by heart. Even if you are a singer and piano is an optional subject, you still need to memorize the parts. Here and in the conservatories, it is not necessary to know the repertoire by heart — many play from sight. And this is not very correct from the point of view of preparation for concert activity.
< h3 id="1858644428-3">About Russian and Italian classics: differences between the two countries
— Which Russian composer did you listen to as a child?
— Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin. Of the performers — Richter and Gilels. The list is endless.
What about Italian?
— Domenico Scarlatti. Imagine, he wrote 555 sonatas. He has an amazing musical imagination that still makes him seem very modern. His works perfectly develop finger technique. 
— What do you play more often in Russia?
— I try to unite the repertoire. Recently, I have been performing with a program on the topic of water, a very important element for me, as a Venetian. There are amazing works on this subject.
For example, recently at a solo concert in the Cathedral Chamber of Moscow, I performed Franz Liszt's Fountains of the Villa d'Este, a composition written during his stay in Tivoli. These fountains are an incredible sight! They inspired Liszt and later Ravel in his Jeux d'eau («The Play of Water»). But he describes the elements in other colors. In addition, the theme of water continues in other of his works that I love to play — in «Ondine» and «Boat in the Ocean.» The motif of the last composition may be familiar from the film «Call Me By Your Name».
Russian audience: culture and education
— Where will you perform in the near future?
— The tour schedule is tight. I recently performed in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. One of these days will be Arkhangelsk. By the way, it was from there, as I was told, that the first Russian diplomatic mission went to my native Venice in the 17th century.
There will still be St. Petersburg, Kazan, Tyumen — everything is planned before the summer. important question. Is the job of a classical musician profitable in Russia?
—Yes. Although there is a lot of competition. It's not easy, but anything is possible.
— How does the Russian audience accept you, what is its difference from the Italian one?
— Some come to my concerts several times from different cities. In addition, in Russia, unlike Italy, there are many young listeners. This is amazing! In your country, I often hear classical music, for example, in the subway — we don't have that.
The Tchaikovsky Competition is a huge event that interests everyone. You still invest a lot of money and effort in music, believe in its mission. crop-ratio=»0.721889319703913″ data-crop-width=»600″ data-crop-height=»433″ data-source-sid=»rian_photo» class=»lazyload» width=»1920″ height=»1386″ decoding =»async» />
I also try to attract a younger audience, so in social networks I talk not only about my profession, but also about our languages, about my adventures in Russia. This makes it easier to attract younger audiences. Many with the desire to meet me live have gained a new experience and went to a concert of live classical music for the first time.
In addition, the Russian audience is very competent, especially when it comes to the works of Russian composers, exacting and respectful. In Italy, a concert is often accompanied by the squeaky sound of an unfolded caramel — and these are not children, but elderly people! You don't have that.
Stereotypes about Russia: what Lorenzo faced
— In social networks, you give master classes in learning Italian in a very funny way. Repeat one for our readers.
“Now in twenty seconds I will teach you twenty thousand Italian words at once. All words that you end in -tion, we have the ending -zione. For example, «reputation» — «reputazione». Like this! (laughs).
— It is interesting to ask any foreigner about stereotypes. What did you encounter in Russia?
—In Italy, there is a perception that you are rather gloomy, closed and stern. I did not really believe in this, because, reading your literature and listening to music, I understood the inhabitants of Russia more. And when I arrived, I was made extremely welcome! The closest people I have today are Russians.
Italians are more theatrical, perhaps more open at the beginning of communication, but not always as sincere as Russians. The trust of a Russian person must be earned. And only then we can see all the wealth of his soul. And your friendship is Friendship!
«Roman about showbiz»: full interview
Audio version of the interview with Lorenzo Bagnati in Russian can be heard here.
March 20, 00:01 < /span>