Ilaria Marvilly

What is your favorite violin that you have played?

Depending on the repertoire, I use three different instruments: a 19th century violin from the Neapolitan school, a 20th century Italian instrument — both with a “baroque” setting and different combinations of gut/wound gut strings. However, my favorite is my “modern” violin, a copy of Guarneri’s Ole Bull made by a living Italian maker from Tuscany. I fell in love with it years ago for the beauty of its back wood and the depth of its lower strings.

The perfect song for a date?

Il cielo in una stanza by Gino Paoli.

What is your second favorite instrument in the orchestra?

I have always loved the viola (my second instrument) and the cello for their depth and warmth. However, in this Don Giovanni, the mandolin that appears in the Canzonetta creates a lovely, dreamy, yet melancholic atmosphere.

The first music your child should hear?

The sound of the sea, birds singing at sunrise.

What are the performing tasks in Mozart’s music?

When approaching Mozart’s music, I ask myself how to find a balance between the endless search for clarity and transparency in the musical phrase, with its crystal-clear articulations, and the deep, humorous, and visceral driving energy.

Music to describe the spirit of Utopia?

Tenebrae responsories by Carlo Gesualdo and Forêts Paisibles by Jean-Philippe Rameau.