King Charles III, Patron of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), attended a special concert on October 16, 2024, marking a significant celebration of cultural relations between London and Genoa, as well as commemorating the LSO’s 120th anniversary.
The event, held in collaboration with the prestigious Premio Paganini competition, showcased an hour of classical music led by LSO's Chief Conductor, Sir Antonio Pappano.
Buckingham Palace reports that the concert opened with Rossini’s lively Barber of Seville overture, followed by Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Puccini’s mournful Crisantemi for String Orchestra.
A particular highlight was a performance by Simon Zhu, a 23-year-old violin prodigy and the 57th winner of the Premio Paganini competition. Zhu played the first movement of Paganini’s concerto on the iconic ‘Il Cannone,’ an 18th-century violin crafted by Guarneri del Gesù. The instrument, famed for its powerful and resonant sound, was personally named by Paganini for its "explosive" qualities, inspiring many of his works.
Following the performance, His Majesty met with Dame Kathryn McDowell, the LSO’s Managing Director, and other distinguished guests, including the Italian Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Inigo Lambertini, and Genoa’s Deputy Mayor, Pietro Piciocchi. The King also spoke with Sir Antonio, Zhu, and representatives from the Premio Paganini committee.
The Premio Paganini competition, which began in 1954, has launched the careers of numerous acclaimed violinists, including Gyorgy Pauk and Leonidas Kavakos. This concert, hosted by The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor Alderman Michael Mainelli, further solidified the deep cultural bonds between the two cities while honouring the legacy of Paganini and the LSO’s century-long history of musical excellence.