I Came to Buy a Smile – A Concert for Ezio Bosso

On May 14, 2020, Maestro Ezio Bosso passed away in Bologna. The Turin-born composer worked to open the world of classical music to everyone, promoting a universal idea of music as a shared meeting place between performers and audiences.

Every year since 2022, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna, and Annamaria Gallizio, who for many years was the Maestro’s personal assistant, have promoted the organisation of a concert for orchestra in the Basilica of San Petronio, dedicated to Ezio Bosso.

This special occasion will take place once again on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 6:30 pm, once again in the Basilica of San Petronio.

The evening, featuring Anna Tifu as violin soloist, Romeo Scaccia on piano together with the Buxus Consort Strings, will offer the opportunity to rediscover some of the most beautiful music written by Ezio Bosso.

At the heart of the programme will be three pieces, transcribed for string orchestra, from the musical project Ezio Bosso dedicated to Emily Dickinson starting in 2007.

Ezio Bosso wrote:

Emily Dickinson is one of my favourite poets. I believe I have read all her poems, letters and writings. I wrote many pieces inspired by her poetry, which she called “my little rooms”.

In 2023, Emily Reel #15 was released by Sony Classical, collecting for the first time on record the compositions written by Ezio Bosso for the project between 2007 and 2008.

In addition to the pieces written by Ezio Bosso, the concert will feature two compositions written by Romeo Scaccia for Ezio Bosso (Waltz of Shadows and Minimal Sparks, Echoes for Ezio), the remarkable Dance Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings by Oliver Davis, and two of the best-known works by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla.

The concert is organised thanks to the Archdiocese of Bologna, with the support of Fondazione Carisbo, and in collaboration with the Municipality of Bologna and EMERGENCY.

The event also serves as a preview of the sixth edition of the Buxus Consort Festival, a music festival dedicated to Ezio Bosso held every year in Gualtieri, in the province of Reggio Emilia, around September 13.

The sixth edition of the festival will be particularly rich in events and will include a series of lead-up stages to the Gualtieri dates, taking place in significant locations across Emilia connected to Maestro Bosso’s musical journey.

Admission is free and open to everyone wishing to attend. Instead of an admission ticket, however, a responsible contribution in support of EMERGENCY will be introduced, entirely dedicated to fundraising for victims of war in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan.

PROGRAMME

• Ezio Bosso
  Three Poems by Emily Dickinson
  Bloom
  I Came to Buy a Smile
  If All the Griefs I Am to Have
• Romeo Scaccia
  Waltz of Shadows
  Minimal Sparks, Echoes for Ezio
• Oliver Davis
  Dance Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings
• Astor Piazzolla
  Milonga del Angel
  Escualo

SOLOISTS

violin Anna Tifu
piano Romeo Scaccia

BUXUS CONSORT STRINGS

first violins Edoardo De Angelis*, Elisa Papandrea, Iku Uejima, Enrico Catale, Raul Erasmo Roa Pirela
second violins Nicolò Grassi*, Gunilla Kerrich, Chiara Spagnolo, Carlotta Arata
violas Jessica Orlandi*, Davide Bravo, Tessa Paola Rippo, Angelica Ceria
cellos Relja Lukic*, Francesco Marini, Eugenio Catale
double basses Lucio Corenzi*, Salvatore La Mantia
* principal soloists

Photo credits

© Daniele Franchi / Lorenzo Benelli
Concert for Ezio Bosso
Bologna, Basilica of San Petronio, 2025