More than an anniversary, this is a landmark celebration. On 6 May, at Teatro Apollo, BandAdriatica—one of the most original and internationally acclaimed ensembles on the Italian world music scene—marks twenty years of artistic exploration with NOSTOS – 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT.
Conceived as a collective celebration, the evening retraces the band's remarkable artistic journey through music, encounters and cultural crossings. Over the past two decades, BandAdriatica has created a distinctive musical language in which popular tradition is continually reimagined through dialogue, experimentation and exchange, earning the ensemble invitations to leading international festivals across Europe.
Like the journey of Odysseus, the concert follows musical routes stretching from Greece, Türkiye, Lebanon, Albania and Croatia, bringing together ancestral memories and contemporary creativity. Popular celebration meets ancient tradition, while the echoes of epic homecomings become a powerful expression of peace, cultural dialogue and shared identity.
The performance revisits the defining moments of the ensemble's artistic evolution, creating a vibrant musical tapestry in which the brass bands of Puglia converse with Balkan fanfares, Middle Eastern colours, North African rhythms and the musical traditions of Salento.
The original ensemble, led by Claudio Prima (diatonic accordion and vocals), features Emanuele Coluccia (saxophone), Andrea Perrone (trumpet), Vincenzo Grasso (clarinet), Gaetano Carrozzo (trombone), Morris Pellizzari (guitars), Giuseppe Spedicato (bass) and Ovidio Venturoso (drums). Joining them on stage are Maria Mazzotta, Antonio Castrignanò, Rachele Andrioli and Bojken Lako—artists who have collaborated with BandAdriatica at different stages of its journey and who share its commitment to artistic exchange, musical research and the creative dialogue between tradition and innovation.
Opening | 7.00 p.m.
The evening begins with Salento Grooves Band, performing band arrangements of BandAdriatica's music while leading audiences in a festive parade through Lecce's historic centre towards the theatre.
A photographic exhibition in the theatre foyer traces the ensemble's artistic journey through a selection of images documenting its evolution—from its earliest performances to its international collaborations and tours.
Concert | 8.00 p.m.
The anniversary concert celebrates the defining moments of BandAdriatica's twenty-year career, revisiting some of its most iconic works alongside many of the musicians and collaborators who have contributed to the ensemble's artistic identity over the years.
The 20th Anniversary Tour
The Lecce concert also marks the opening of BandAdriatica's 20th Anniversary Tour, which will take the ensemble back to prestigious venues and festivals across Italy and abroad, reuniting long-standing collaborators while revisiting the places that have shaped its artistic journey.
Among the first announced destinations are Tirana, Budapest, Lake Balaton, Korčula and Rudolstadt.
Far from a nostalgic celebration, the tour reaffirms the ensemble's enduring artistic vision: the Mediterranean as a shared space of encounter, dialogue, transformation and hope for the future.
This concert forms part of Armonie del Mediterraneo – Viaggi, Miti e Ritorni, conceived and presented by the Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage Agency in collaboration with the Municipality of Lecce, with the support of the Italian Ministry of Tourism under the National Tourism Fund (FUNT) – 2025 Current Expenditure Programme (CUP F89I25002020001).
C.F.93069360753 Lecce 03/06/2003 - P.IVA 03774820751 Lecce 17/02/2004
Iscr. Cost. Reg. delle Persone Giuridiche del 04/08/2006 - Certificato Iso 9001 nr. 50 100 8678
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