Berliners Music on Lerici Music Festival

On July 28, two compositions by Baruch Berliner were performed at the Lerici Musical Festival in the Italian town of Lerici. These were the cello concert “Jacob’s Dream” and the composition “El Maleh Rachamim” (“Merciful God”)—the soundtrack to the movie Address on the Wall, narrating the WWII tragedy of Babi Yar.

The pieces were performed by cellist Boris Andrianov, a Merited Artist of Russia, and the string section of the Arturo Toscanini Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Gianluca Marciano, the festival’s director. The event, just as any other occasion organized by Baruch Berliner’s Genesis International Project, was produced by Nachum Slutzker.

The Lerici Musical Festival, now in its eighth year, is unique in its kind. Conceived and founded in 2017 by Maestro Gianluca Marciano, a native of Lerici, the festival is a tribute to his hometown and its residents.

The festival, held at the Fortezza Firmafede fortress, constructed between 1249 and 1494, is organized by Suoni dal Golfo. This cultural association seeks to promote the music and culture of the Gulf of Poets — another name for the Gulf of La Spezia, at the heart of which lies Lerici.

With its history tightly intertwined with the sea, the Gulf of Poets has always been a welcoming abode for intellectuals, artists, and businesspeople from every corner of the globe. In this province of artists and sailors, the Lerici Musical Festival has its roots, proudly embracing a grand international format since its inception.

Over the years, the festival has fully realized its potential, becoming a catalyst for regional development and a principal tourist attraction.

The Lerici Musical Festival has enjoyed support from Italy’s Ministry of Culture, the region of Liguria, and the Lerici municipality. The festival draws much of its resources from an extensive network of friends and enthusiasts, which is a notable aspect of the event’s identity.