In 2024, the world commemorates the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death, the Italian explorer who pioneered cultural exchanges between East and West. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership.
Embodying the spirit of Marco Polo, young Italian classical guitarist Cristina Galietto embarked on a musical journey to China for a guitar exchange and tour. Her first stop was Cixi City in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province—known as the starting point of the “maritime ceramic road” and the origin of the imperial Mi-se porcelain, one of the most famous celadons in ancient China.
During her visit, Galietto discovered that celadon porcelain was historically used as a court instrument in China, much like the classical guitar in Renaissance Europe. Inspired by this connection, she collaborated with musicians from the Celadon Ou Music Art Troupe to perform a duet of the Neapolitan folk song “O Sole Mio.” This innovative performance was the first-ever duet featuring the classical guitar and Celadon Ou Music, breaking new ground in musical history.
Their collaboration is showcased in the micro-documentary “O Sole Mio, My Mi-se,” which combines real-life footage with AI technology to tell Galietto’s unique story. Benefiting from China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy, she serves as a modern-day Marco Polo, using music to foster cultural exchanges and mutual learning between two ancient civilizations.
Through her journey, Cristina Galietto bridges cultures and safeguards the shared cultural heritage of humanity, reminding us of the enduring power of music to connect people across time and space.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
