Il Good Friday concert, scheduled for Friday 3 April 2026 at 20.00 pm in the Collegiate Church of Bellinzona, is once again one of the most anticipated moments of the spring season, confirming the centrality of sacred music in the Ticino cultural panorama.
Following the success of the recent Christmas concert at the Officine FFS, the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana returns to perform a repertoire with a strong spiritual focus, under the direction of conductor Diego Fasolis . Alongside the orchestra, the Swiss Radio and Television Choir will contribute to an evening of great cultural depth and diverse range of themes and performances.
A program between different eras and sensibilities
The 2026 program spans different eras and languages, maintaining the theme of pain and consolation as its common thread . The heart of the evening will be the Requiem by English composer John Rutter , written in 1985 and characterized by an accessible tonal language, capable of combining spiritual depth and expressive immediacy. The work, among the most performed in the contemporary choral repertoire, will be performed with the participation of soprano Betty Makharinsky.
Next, a piece of a different but equally intense tone: Giuseppe Verdi 's Stabat Mater , composed in 1898 and part of the Four Sacred Pieces . In this score, Verdi addresses the theme of maternal grief with essential and incisive writing, far from the operatic tones that marked his fame.
The concert will open with a tribute to the contemporary local music scene, with a new composition for a cappella choir by Francesco Hoch. The piece, commissioned for the occasion, is inserted as an introductory moment, creating a bridge between tradition and contemporaneity.
An event between music and community
The Good Friday Concert confirms itself not only as an artistic event, but also as an opportunity for the community to meet. The event is supported by the City of Bellinzona and the Friends of the OSI Association, with contributions from institutional and private partners.
The evening will also be broadcast live on RSI Rete Due, extending its reach well beyond the physical space of the Collegiate Church.
As per tradition, the public will also have the opportunity to attend the dress rehearsal, scheduled for Thursday, April 2nd at 8:00 PM, with a reduced-price ticket. For the main concert, admission is CHF 60, while the dress rehearsal will be accessible for CHF 20.
A musical rite that is renewed
During Holy Week, the Good Friday Concert continues to represent a moment of collective reflection through music. The choice of a repertoire that combines contemporary and classical composers, along with the interpretive quality of the ensembles involved, helps consolidate the value of a tradition that, year after year, is renewed while maintaining its evocative power.
Information and presale
Tickets are available at www.osi.swiss and at the Bellinzona InfoPoint in Piazza Collegiata. Further details are also available at www.incitta.ch.
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