From the 2025-26 season, Kent Nagano will assume the role of Principal Artistic Partner of the Filarmonica Toscanini, marking the beginning of an initial three-year tenure.
His appointment follows a single concert in summer 2024 which, according to both parties, revealed an immediate artistic connection…
Q: Your appointment follows a single performance with the Filarmonica Toscanini—a moment of immediate chemistry. What made that encounter stand out, and how does this new role, with its flexible and forward-looking model, offer something different from your previous positions?
A: Chemistry is something difficult to quantify or analyse, yet it is something we universally understand as an essential foundation for all successful relationships. While the Toscanini Orchestra boasts exceptional talent, brilliant charisma and sophisticated technical abilities, what makes the ensemble unique is the passionate engagement, the overwhelming energy and commitment to deepen the music, curiosity towards new perspectives and impulses—all of which complements the gravitas of its professionalism and radiates emotion and beauty to the audience. I look forward to our collaboration with great enthusiasm.
Q: Your inaugural season moves from Mozart and Beethoven to Mahler, Sadikova and Stravinsky. Is there a narrative in that programming—a kind of musical arc you’re hoping to explore with the orchestra?
A: The representation of excellence and deep cultural fluency of repertoire are important elements of major orchestras. But there are many more elements to secure the relevancy of an ensemble.
A great orchestra’s traditions mirror the community it serves, its morals, values and cultural heritage. The ensemble’s performances reflect the past anchored in
the future.
Parma is home to one of the richest cultural histories in European civilisation, having witnessed many of its major phases of evolution—from its Etruscan roots to the present day. As home to Verdi, Toscanni and many great figures of the visual, literary and culinary arts, Parma has been recognised as a focal point of the fine arts. In some ways, the city might be seen as a metaphor for Europe. Through our performances, our hope is to serve the depth of Parma’s culture as an ambassador both to our local community and to the international community beyond.
Q: You once said your career has been shaped by lessons from artists as diverse as Boulez, Bernstein, and even Björk. What do you hope Parma will teach you? And in the spirit of Toscanini—who once said, “Tradition is the last bad performance”—are there traditions you’re eager to rethink?
A: At certain points in our development, we are all confronted with the concept of “tradition”. And when we are, we’re obliged to wrestle with what exactly the concept refers to. Is tradition history, recent memories, habits or status quo? Does a tradition live in actuality or does it represent the past?
When one regards the many great artistic figures who have had ties to Parma one sees above all innovation, daring imagination, visionary and creative thinking, and courage. The quality of the creativity, vision and innovation of these figures is exceptional, and as such their creations live on beyond trend and fashion. Their work soars above time, is universally relevant and, enters into tradition.
A source of unlimited inspiration, there is much to learn and absorb from Parma’s community and its great cultural heritage and it is a great honour to have been invited to join the orchestra as its Principal Artistic Partner.
