Pomeriggio con Paganini Was a Great Success
By Sandra Tornberg
On Sunday, May 22, 2022, the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan in collaboration with the Consulate of Italy in Detroit, presented Pomeriggio con Paganini to commemorate the famous violinist and composer Niccolò Paganini who died on May 27, 1840. Born on October 27, 1782, in Genoa, Italy, Paganini was a child prodigy and is regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time. He was so talented that it was thought that he had made a pact with the devil!
The event took place at the Anton Art Center, located at 125 Macomb Place in Mount Clemens, Michigan. The Anton Art Center is Macomb Count’s premier nonprofit arts and culture organization, housed in the historic Carnegie Library Building. Anton Executive Director Phil Gilchrist and Dante Alighieri President Lia Adelfi welcomed an audience of seventy guests. After some introductory comments by Sandra Tornberg, the audience enjoyed a concert by violinist Sonia Lee, who performed five of Paganini’s works. The audience included many young violin students, and pupils of violinist and instructor Jenine Russell. Ms. Lee interacted with the audience during the performance, explaining and demonstrating techniques and sharing anecdotes between pieces. After the performance, the students could speak with Ms. Lee, who graciously answered questions and posed for photos.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this beautiful event.
