The tenth 2024 edition of the Portofino International Opera Competition concluded yesterday with a series of enthralling performances, culminating in a concert by Simon Zhu.

During the evening of Sunday 28th July, in fact, the winner of the 2023 edition of the Concorso Paganini was CLIP’s “guest of honour.” In the beautiful setting of Piazza di Portofino, Simon Zhu enchanted the audience with an extraordinary performance, accompanied by the Carlo Felice orchestra, conducted by maestro Enrico Fagone.

The Premio Paganini has renewed its collaboration with CLIP: a synergy that is once again proving to be stimulating and fruitful, enriching the national and international violin and opera scene.

The event, attended by the Mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, also saw the presence of Barbara Grosso and, representing the Premio Paganini, Mr. Francesco Micheli and Artistic Director Nicola Bruzzo.

“The synergy created between the Premio Paganini and Clip has made it possible to add value to an already prestigious event. Both events represent excellence in the field of music and are a source of pride for the city of Genoa and the entire region. The collaboration between the Premio Paganini, one of the most prestigious competitions for young violin talents, and Clip Portofino, a festival that celebrates classical music and its relationship with the territory, further enhances the artistic and cultural heritage of Liguria. The importance of promoting classical music and providing opportunities for young talents to grow and gain visibility should also be emphasized: this synergy helps consolidate Genoa’s position as a music hub of international prominence,” said Marco Bucci, Mayor of Genoa.

“Sometimes it happens!
The juxtaposition of Portofino’s CLIP Opera Competition, Crema’s International Bottesini Competition, Teatro Carlo Felice and Genoa’s Premio Paganini represents an unprecedented event on the Italian music scene. Well happy and proud, as a representative of the Paganini Committee, of this extraordinary collaboration between institutions of such a level,” said Francesco Micheli.

“The link with singing precedes the very birth of the violin understood as a modern instrument. It is no coincidence that Paganini, a virtuoso par excellence, is also a composer gifted with a vocality and lyricism worthy of the greatest opera singers of his time. This is precisely why we are pleased to collaborate again with the Portofino International Opera Competition, now in its tenth edition, and we would like to thank all the organizers, musicians, and artists for this memorable musical event,” said Maestro Nicola Bruzzo.

“It is our honour to collaborate with the Premio Paganini for the second consecutive year. The presence of the 2023 winner, Simon Zhu, at the closing concert adds further value to a fascinating evening bringing young talent to the fore,” said Monique Pudel.

“For me, to arrive at the tenth edition with a final of this quality, is a gift and a deeply moving experience. At the beginning of this adventure I had the dream of creating in Italy a high-level international competition, transparent and immersed in beauty. The result achieved today has exceeded all my expectations, and our singers are making great careers, taking CLIP to theatres all around the world. Added to this is the satisfaction with the now established collaboration with the Paganini Prize, which enriches the final concert in an extraordinary way and brings together the brightest young talents in music,” said Maestro Donati.

Also present was Teatro Carlo Felice Superintendent Claudio Orazi, in his dual capacity as a member of the Premio Paganini and CLIP Jury.