40 YEARS SINCE THE DEATH OF THE FOUNDER OF THE VIOTTI COMPETITION
Remembering Joseph Robbone
Conceived nearly twenty years ago for the ceremony dedicating the Salone Dugentesco to the founder of the Viotti Competition (2006), this short text retains its full value even today as we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of his passing.
More than a single recollection of Joseph Robbone, there are many memories. A chain of evocative moments that will come to mind for many of those present. And which we hope will help the younger generation get to know the mind and actions of this great visionary. How can we summarize the spirit of the man and those decades, so fertile and still alive today? Three words suffice: a serene solemnity. That is, a brilliant and gentle way of navigating delicate and demanding circumstances. Joseph Robbone was at ease with everyone and put everyone else at ease. He knew how to narrow the distance without ever losing sight of its meaning and value. Face to face with the most famous figures or simply chatting with us ordinary people, Joseph Robbone was always and only himself: affable, direct, full of spirit. In short – even if the adjective is banal – likable: with his moments of frustration and occasional temper when needed, but likable. A man who knew how to intuit and then organize: and finally enjoy the result. Always distant from him – and by choice of style – was any form of arrogance, snobbery, or presumption. Innate, instead, was a great ease in hosting stars and divas in Vercelli who, in the pre-media era, were already and nevertheless very imposing presences: Tebaldi and Di Stefano, Del Monaco and Simionato, Scotto, Kabaiwanska… In those memories, for those who lived them, there is also the sonic echo of his presentations, conversational, delivered extemporaneously (as extemporaneously as could be), always brilliant and witty. Whether it was about an illustrious Viotti d’Oro awardee or a young chamber ensemble, the speech unfolded calmly at the public’s level. Especially in the Salone Dugentesco – the quintessential ‘Robbone’ venue – where the front rows found themselves just two meters away from Benedetti Michelangeli, Accardo, and Gazzelloni. Finally, intertwined with the musical reminiscences, there is also the reflected image of a Vercelli in a state of grace – especially between the ’60s and early ’70s – before growth and development began to slow down. But here lies the risk: of finding solace in the past, of electing it as a refuge and a narcissistic mirror, thus draining strength and energy from the present, and dreams and projects for the future. Remembering Joseph Robbone today must serve, above all, to rethink a way of showcasing the city by promoting its most vibrant and up-to-date talents. It means aligning the objectives of individual enthusiasts and experts with those of the community, even by thinking big, without fear, relying on one’s own culture and not leaning on the culture of others. Because Robbone was not just a public relations man: inevitably, the things he cared about, studied, and knew—the cultured musician, the art and antique enthusiast, the books, nature, cuisine…—found their way into his discourse. Life, in short, which he deeply loved.
Civic Theatre, Saturday, October 18, 2025 Final Concert of the 75th Viotti Opera Singing Competition
Francesco Brugnetta
