Gen Rosso: 60 years of history in concert in Venice

“Gen Rosso’s concerts are not just a series of songs, but an experience to be lived,” emphasises Mikusinski. An experience which, in some cases, has left a deep impression, helping young people and adults to rediscover hope, trust and even a faith that seemed lost. Relationships with the younger generations represent one of the most significant challenges today. “Being young is very difficult; there are few prospects. This world is unsettling: you only have to sit down and watch the television and listen to the news. We are ‘bombarded’ daily by social media, and the information we absorb risks making us indifferent to everything.’ Wars, uncertainties, digital overload: a context in which music can become a space for free expression and for touching the deepest chords of our being. ‘All it takes is loving one another – the key to everything, as Mikusinski puts it – and music can help in some way. It can play its part, as its notes go straight to the heart.’ He then recalls the stories of young people who, after taking part in the concerts and workshops organised by the group, found new motivation, even going so far as to turn that experience into projects to help others, as in the case of a young man from the Czech Republic who, after completing a percussion workshop, chose to help some of his peers become artists. Mikusinski also speaks of those who have rediscovered God’s love. “We also witness genuine conversions,” he explains. “You can’t just listen to Gen Rosso; you have to experience it. Experience the concert, experience the song, experience the connection with the artist. The stage allows us to enter into a profound dialogue and to promote values that perhaps simply need to be rediscovered.”

And this is where music meets faith: not through imposition, but through concrete witness. ‘What is proclaimed from the stage then also happens in real life.’ Credibility stems from consistency between words and actions, from a willingness to welcome others, and from the ability to forge genuine bonds. This is a lesson that also applies to the Church, which is called upon to ‘rethink the ways’ in which it engages with young people. For Mikusinski, this does not mean abandoning the true substance of the faith or its foundations, but rather finding ways of communicating and spaces capable of speaking to the younger generations, addressing their questions, vulnerabilities and hopes for the future. Music can contribute to this journey, as it reaches places where traditional approaches sometimes fail to take root. The Venice concert will take the audience on a journey through past and present, featuring new arrangements of much-loved and widely recognised songs, such as ‘Servo per amore’, ‘Vieni e seguimi’ and ‘Resta qui con noi’, alongside more recent compositions such as ‘Go for love’, ‘Shock of the world’ and ‘Higher’. ‘People identify with our songs and lyrics, which they sing not only during challenging times, marked by doubt, but also on happy occasions, such as weddings. In a world where peace seems to be an unattainable goal, we continue to say that it is possible to achieve it. What is the secret behind Gen Rosso’s longevity and its message? Spreading positive energy and broadening horizons. Because dialogue is possible. The differences between people are a source of richness, certainly not an obstacle.”

A repertoire – Valerio “Lode” Ciprì is the author of a vast number of songs – that blends different sounds and which, over the years, whilst never losing its own identity, has managed to embrace the most varied genres: from pop to rock, from funk to hip-pop, right through to spiritual and electronic music. Peace is the true common thread running through a message that is more relevant than ever. For Mikusinski, it is not enough to call for peace on the grand international stage unless we begin to build it in our everyday relationships. Sixty years after its founding, Gen Rosso arrives in Venice with a programme that looks beyond music, with the Teatro Goldoni set to become a venue for an encounter between generations, sensibilities and different spiritual journeys – to be experienced with the heart, the soul and the body. And it is precisely from the heart that the group wishes to start afresh, to remind young people (and others) that believing, coming together and building peace are still viable paths. Tickets are available on Vivaticket or can be purchased at the Teatro Goldoni.