Zambia – tribute to Italian music and cuisine

Two fundamental traditions at the heart of Italian culture - music and cuisine - were the focus of the event "Concert and Gala Dinner - Homage to Giacomo Puccini" organised by the Embassy of Italy in Lusaka to celebrate Italian culture in an area of the world where it is little known.

The concert, conducted by Tim Robters - a British maestro living in South Africa - was performed by a 40-piece orchestra featuring local artists and students and a choir of 15 Zambian singers. The orchestra was put together by Japanese soprano Chinatsu Hirayama, who lives and teaches in Lusaka. Also from South Africa was the young tenor Mongezi Mosoaka, selected by the Cape Town Opera. Together, the artists performed some of Puccini's most famous arias from operas such as "La Bohème", "Madama Butterfly" and "Turandot".

The event was streamed live on the Facebook page of the Embassy, with photos available on the Instagram page Italy_in_Zambia.

The evening continued with a gala dinner that paid homage to Italy's culinary tradition, with a menu inspired by Tuscan cuisine, created in collaboration with the Neelkanth Sarovar Premiere Hotel in Lusaka and overseen by Italian Chef Flavio Tessari, who travelled from Italy specifically for the event.

This celebration was held as part of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, which also saw a series of Italian dinners organised in collaboration with the Neelkanth Sarovar Premiere Hotel at the hotel's Copperpot restaurant from 8 to 12 November. Each evening, guests were offered a four-course Italian menu, with traditional dishes prepared under the guidance of Chef Tessari. The dinners were an opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in Italy's gastronomic culture. The experience culminated with the concert and gala dinner on 14 November.