Manrico Padovani plays Paganini’s Violin Concertos No. 1 and 2

Released on ARS Produktion, Padovani performs with three orchestras, including the Oltenia Philharmonic 

Known for his legendary playing and technical mastery, Niccolò Paganini was the mastermind behind six violin concertos in the early 1800s. Many of his works continue to be staples in the violin repertoire today. 

On his new album, the Swiss-Italian violinist Manrico Padovani performs Paganini’s first violin concerto with the Oltenia Philharmonic Orchestra and the second violin concerto with the Seoul Güri Philharmonic Orchestra — both conducted live by Boris Perrenoud.

The final work of the album is Paganini’s Sonata con variazioni from the opera L’amor marinaro by Joseph Weigl, performed live with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana and Howard Griffiths. 

On this album, Padovani plays on a 1861 Del Gesù-Vuillaume violin, made in Paris. His other instruments include a 1780 Joseph Gagliano from Naples and a 1722 Antonio Stradivari violin. 

To purchase and listen to the album, click here. 

Padovani was the first Swiss violinist to perform all 24 Paganini caprices in a single evening. Another career highlight was his performance in front of Pope Benedict XVI and an audience of 8,000 in the Sala Nervi in the Vatican. 

Among his mentors included Aida Piraccini-Stucki, Herman Krebbers, Ruggiero Ricci, Franco Gulli und Karlheinz, Viktor Pikaizen and Boris Belkin. He was also supported through Anne-Sophie Mutter’s foundation, where he was invited to play with her on a European Tour.

A prizewinner at the Vienna International Music Competition, Ruggiero Ricci’s International Master Competition, Accademia Chigiana, and the Nippon Music Foundation, Padovani made his debut at the Lucerne Festival.

Since then, he has performed all over Europe, America, and Asia in venues including the Golden Hall, Wiener Musikverein, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Philharmonie Cologne, Ohji Hall Tokyo, and KKL Lucerne with orchestras such as the Basel Symphony, and the Prague, Moscow, and Stuttgart Philharmonics. 

Having recorded for various international labels, Padovani’s previous live recording of Beethoven’s works for violin and orchestra  was nominated for the German Opus Klassik award in 2021.