Award-winning conductor Carlo Ponti
makes debut recording with Russian National Orchestra
Film stars’ son shines in
a much-anticipated new release
The Russian Arts Foundation is pleased to announce that conductor Carlo Ponti has made a debut disc with the world renowned Russian National Orchestra (RNO), to be released December 2nd on PentaTone Classics.
The SuperAudio CD features Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on the Bare Mountain, orchestrated respectively by Maurice Ravel and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Also included are symphonic selections from two Mussorgsky operas, The Sorochinsky Fair and Khovanshchina.
Born into film royalty, Ponti is the eldest son of actress Sophia Loren and film producer Carlo Ponti. Ponti credits his parents for his musical passion: ”My parents exposed me to the arts and music early on. Beethoven and Brahms were always playing in our house. One of my earliest memories is my parents sitting next to me at the piano, watching me play,“ says Ponti. ”From a young age, they encouraged me to pursue my love of music. My father had an instinct for recognizing people’s innate talents and encouraged me to follow my dreams and become a conductor.“
The critically acclaimed Ponti was appointed Associate Conductor of the Moscow-based RNO in 2000, and since 2001 has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of the San Bernardino Symphony in the United States. He has appeared as guest conductor with the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta de Valencia, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Budapest Concert Orchestra, among others, as well as at numerous international music festivals.
Following his debut with the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale in Florence, Ponti was awarded Italy’s prestigious Premio Galileo Award in 2006 for exceptional musical achievement. In the United States, he was the recipient of the 2008 Artistic Achievement Award from the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition for his contributions to the development and advancement of young musical talent throughout the world.
The recording was underwritten by San Francisco Bay Area philanthropists Mouli and Stacy Cohen, both longtime fans of Ponti. ”The connection between classical music, culture, and society is a powerful one,“ said Mouli Cohen. ”We made our first gift to the Russian Arts Foundation several years ago, when we underwrote a concert that offered underprivileged children the opportunity to experience the RNO conducted by the incredible Carlo Ponti. We are proud to be able to make Maestro Ponti’s first recording possible, and to once again share such magnificent music with the world.“
Ponti resides in LA with his wife Hungarian violinist Andrea Ponti and their two-year-old son.
”... thanks to the musical sculpting talents of conductor Carlo Ponti, Monday’s concert might best be described as a magical experience... Ponti and the Russian National Orchestra offered an electrically charged reading of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition...“
”Ponti displayed some understated star power on the podium... The RNO rose to excellence in Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, where passages... were rendered with razor-sharp accuracy, and the brass section turned brass into gold.“
Media requests: Mona Baroudi, 415.615.2735, mona.baroudi@sbcglobal.net