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The Carabinieri Band in Doha

Full transcription of the article “Italian military band to perform at Katara today” published by the Gulf Times, on December 17th and written by Joey Aguilar.

One of the Italian Armed Forces most prestigious and ancient branches, the Band of the Carabinieri Military Force, will perform in Doha from today to December 19 in a special musical programme to mark Qatar National Day, the Italian embassy has announced.

The band’s three-day performance will take place at the Katara open theatre at 3pm today, along with the military bands of the other invited countries, and on December 18 at Doha Corniche at 3pm during the National Day parade.

According to the embassy, the band will also perform outdoors on December 19 at 5pm at Darb Al Saai (Al Sadd). The repertoire represents the best Italian classical music and opera traditions such as “Nessun Dorma” (Giacomo Puccini) and “Aida” (Giuseppe Verdi).

“It is an honour that Qatar chose and invited the Carabinieri Band to take part in the celebrations of this very special day for the Qatari people. The band is one of the corps’ many prestigious features and it is at the same time innovative and anchored to its values and traditions,” Italian ambassador Pasquale Salzano said.

The envoy noted that the band is known globally for its assorted repertoire, the impeccable execution of its performances and the charm that its musicians are able to produce, with their impressive uniforms, magnificent composure and profound music vocation.

Salzano thanked the Commander General of Carabinieri, General Giovanni Nistri, for bringing to Doha “these extraordinary and talented musicians and for representing here in Qatar the excellence of the Italian military forces”.

The embassy noted that the Carabinieri band traces its roots back to 1820 when for the first time, the Royal Carabinieri Corps, included a corps of Trumpeters.

The ensemble was later transformed into “Fanfara” (1862), “Musica” (1894), the “Banda della Legione Allievi Carabinieri” (1910) until 1920 – after further changes – when it took on the basis of its current structure.

Since then, the embassy added, it has given concerts in all major European countries, as well as the US, China and Japan, receiving praise everywhere. Public participation at its concerts is one of the many examples of the natural fondness that people feel for the Carabinieri.

Today, the Carabinieri Band is a complex organisation capable of interpreting the most famous compositions, thanks to its 102 musicians – 85 of them are in Doha for this occasion – coming from the best Italian music academies and selected through public competitions.

The band’s performances usually include a wide repertoire, from traditional military marches to classical symphonies, to contemporary
compositions.

Concerts are prepared with the meticulous commitment and under the careful guidance of Maestro Director Lieutenant Colonel Massimo Martinelli.

Wherever the band performs, they earn success and the votes of the harshest critics. “A band that sounds like a symphony orchestra” or “an orchestra of wind instruments”: these are just two of the experts’ flattering comments used to define the Carabinieri Band.

“These musicians show in their performances the dedication, commitment and compassion that constantly inspire the members of the Carabinieri Force in carrying out their many task to protect and assist people, both in Italy and abroad,” Salzano said.