Manchester’s international chamber orchestra was chosen to play at the England 2018 World Cup FIFA Inspectors’ meal which took place yesterday at the Town Hall in Manchester.
The FIFA delegation is touring England to decide whether football’s biggest tournament should return here in 2018 after a 52-year absence.
Manchester Camerata’s newly appointed Leader, the Italian/Venezuelan violinist Giovanni Guzzo, a self-confessed football fanatic – led the orchestra for the occasion.
The delegates were treated to a seasonal menu of Vivaldi (Summer from The Four Seasons), Gershwin (Summertime) and Piazzola (Summer from The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires). The soloist in the Gershwin was Welsh-born soprano Natalya Romaniw, who will be performing again with Camerata later in the year, at the highly popular New Year’s concerts at the Bridgewater Hall.
Camerata’s Chief Executive Bob Riley said:
“It’s a fantastic privilege that Manchester Camerata was able to highlight the city’s rich and vibrant cultural life on this very special occasion. It is very timely for us to be involved in supporting the city’s international bid just when the orchestra – with two recent highly significant international appointments – is itself raising its profile on the international scene.”
The FIFA inspectors visited both Old Trafford and the City Of Manchester stadium as part of the process of deciding which country will host the 2018 world cup