26 Jul ULYSSES ENSEMBLE – POP UP STREET ORCHESTRA
ULYSSES ENSEMBLE
Tradition and Innovation: A Musical Journey from Classical Masterpieces to Italy’s Most Beloved Songs
The Ulysses Ensemble will perform in concert on Thursday, 30 July 2026, at 6:00 PM in Piazza San Giorgio.
The concert will be a travelling performance, bringing music to different areas of Varenna throughout the evening.
The performance will begin at 6:00 PM in Piazza San Giorgio.
A small ensemble will then perform along Via XX Settembre, before the concert moves to Riva Grande / Piazza del Prato from 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
The final performance of the evening will take place in Olivedo at 7:45 PM.
“For more than twenty years, the Ulysses Ensemble has brought music beyond the traditional concert hall, transforming squares, streets, and public spaces into places of cultural exchange and shared experience. Since its foundation, the Dutch chamber orchestra has been led by the Finnish conductor Jussi Jaatinen, and has distinguished itself through an artistic vision that combines musical excellence, intercultural dialogue, and a close connection with audiences.
Founded in the Netherlands over two decades ago, the Ulysses Ensemble has maintained a remarkably stable core of musicians throughout its history. Its members come from diverse professional backgrounds, yet they share a genuine passion for music and a common commitment to communicating that passion to audiences in the most direct and engaging way possible.
At the helm of the ensemble is Jussi Jaatinen, who studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki before continuing his musical education in the Netherlands. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with numerous European orchestras and ensembles, earning recognition for the breadth of his repertoire and his ongoing dedication to educating and mentoring the next generation of musicians. His artistic philosophy places the audience at the heart of every performance, viewing listeners as an essential part of the dialogue that unfolds through live music.
The 2026 Summer Tour will take the Ulysses Ensemble through the Canton of Ticino and the Lake Como region, a musical journey that reflects the ensemble’s commitment to building bridges between cultures through the universal language of music.
For Jussi Jaatinen and the musicians of the Ulysses Ensemble, a concert is far more than an artistic performance—it is a human encounter in which the energy of the performers and that of the audience inspire one another, creating a memorable and shared experience.
The programme brings together masterpieces of the classical repertoire with some of the most beloved songs of the Italian musical tradition. Through original arrangements created by the ensemble’s own musicians, the concert offers a musical journey that connects different eras, styles, and sensibilities while celebrating the richness of Italy’s musical heritage.
The programme juxtaposes masterpieces of the operatic and instrumental repertoire with iconic works from Italian popular and singer-songwriter traditions. Alongside the vitality and virtuosity of Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Violins, the dramatic intensity of the Overture from Giuseppe Verdi’s Luisa Miller, and the world-famous William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini, audiences will discover fresh interpretations of songs that have become milestones in the history of Italian music.
The defining feature of the project lies in these original arrangements, conceived to create a natural dialogue between repertoires that might at first seem worlds apart. Popular melodies and classic Italian songs are reimagined with refined chamber and orchestral colours, while the classical masterpieces emerge as living roots of a tradition that continues to inspire new forms of artistic expression.
The result is an engaging and accessible concert that speaks both to devoted classical music enthusiasts and to wider audiences, offering an artistic experience that celebrates the enduring beauty and diversity of Italian melody.”
FREE ADMISSION
In case of bad weather: Multifunctional Centre, Via Roma.
