Happiness is a mountain path

What is your first memory of the Festival?

My first memory is connected to the very first concert and a small conference that took place the morning before it began. It was a conference coordinated by the journalist and music critic Angelo Foletto on the relationship between music and the mountains. I see myself there, sitting in the amphitheater of Brenta, behind the little church, listening to his words. When I think about it, I’m still there. And I get emotional…

What moves you the most when you think of the Festival?

The fact that we’ve managed to carry on an event for 29 years without ever betraying its founding values, such as respect for nature and an approach that is as non-invasive as possible. This style also has an educational role from an environmental perspective. It’s the artists who must adapt to the Festival, to the mountains, and to what the mountains allow—not the other way around. We’ve never introduced a stage or platform, nothing that wasn’t already present in nature with its rock stage. The Festival has retained its original essence without being distracted by trends or transformations. This is something I’m particularly proud of.

What is the defining characteristic of the Festival?

It’s the happiness that the Festival brings to people. The people who attend the Festival are happy to be there, in that moment, and to have chosen to experience it. It’s not just the concert itself, but the entire experience that starts from the moment you decide to participate, to treat yourself to a concert in a special setting. You can see it in the eyes of the people when they come to thank you. You meet and greet happy people.

What special projects do you remember most fondly?

There have been many special projects over the years. I fondly remember at the Rifugio Boè Giovanni Sollima’s Canti Rocciosi, composed specifically for the Festival and presented for the first time at the Refuge. And then the collaboration with Ezio Bosso, whom I proposed to Paolo Manfrini, then artistic director and founder of the Festival, after hearing him live. This led to the creation of the beautiful Under the Trees’ Voices. Every special project is a challenge, but also an opportunity to create something unique and memorable. And looking back, I remember the first dawn concert we did at the Alimonta Refuge. A four-hour walk at night, with Brunello and Erri De Luca, and 400 people showed up. It was an incredible emotion, something extraordinary. And in the same year, another dawn concert at Baita Segantini with Alessandro Baricco, with even 1,500 people!

What are you particularly proud of in these 29 years of the Festival?

I’m proud to have met so many wonderful people, both among the artists and the audience. I’ve seen friendships born that continue to this day. The work at the Festival has become an integral part of my life, intertwining with my relationships and my way of being. It has been almost a mission, if I may say so, because I’ve truly dedicated a lot of energy to it, and I’ve always been present.

What memory do you have of Paolo Manfrini?

The fortune of crossing paths with Paolo was the turning point in my professional life because Paolo was an energetic, curious person. He had a very clear vision and always found a way, even in the face of obstacles, to make others see it. I learned so much from him. I worked with him for 32 years, and I will never stop thanking him for everything he taught me and for the opportunities he gave me, in the sense that in teaching, he gave me the chance to express myself, even when we didn’t see things the same way—because, well, I have a bit of a fiery temperament… He was one of the most important people in my life.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about the Festival?

I’d like to emphasize that the Sounds of the Dolomites Festival was the first of its kind in Italy. Today, there are many festivals that bring music to unconventional places. Now concerts are held everywhere, even at dawn. They’re held in urban parks, by the sea, anywhere in non-traditional venues, because if you can do it in the mountains, you can do it anywhere. But we were the first to do it. It’s an important legacy that we are proud of.

Do you have a message for this year’s edition of the Festival?

I wish the Festival a long life! It will be an incredible edition, with important artists from various musical genres. I’m sure that those who participate will have an unforgettable experience. We just hope for good weather, because the weather is the only thing we can’t control…