I Compani says goodbye with a series of concerts in an extra large line-up. Since 1985, the ensemble has presented remarkable performances combining jazz, opera and vaudeville with film, dance and theater. The music that Nino Rota created for the films of Federico Fellini has always remained a major source of inspiration. But Sun Ra, Willem Breuker, Carla Bley and Tony Boltini have also found their way in the wonderous mix. I Compani built a close relationship with our venue, with productions that mirrored the fascinations of band leader and saxophonist Bo van de Graaff: Fellini, Paris, the circus, famous divas, and operas by Verdi, for example. Existing music was always combined with original compositions that could be placed in the European jazz tradition. And with performances such as Mangiare!, about food, I Compani stimulated more senses than hearing alone.
