VIENNA, BUDAPEST, BERGAMO: THREE CITIES, ONE PIANO

Vienna, Budapest, Bergamo, three cities for one piano and a new story for the Teatro Donizetti.
It’s one of the small and precious pianos (baby grand 145 cm x 170 cm), serial number 2689, built between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century by F. Schmid & Kunz in Vienna, Sandwirthgasse 2, and recently donated to our Theatre by Gabriele Merelli and his children Dafne and Glauco.
It was purchased in Vienna by the grandfather of two Hungarian noblewomen, then transported by train to Budapest. It was then placed in the family palace for almost a century, until it hit the road to Italy and Bergamo.
The name of the two noblewomen was linked to that of the high Hungarian nobility (unfortunately in decline), and they were people of short stature. Their petite build favoured them when they played together, which was often the case, and it is said that they loved Beethoven.

Deprived of their former wealth, the noblewomen decided to sell some of their family possessions, among which was the piano. Framed by the elegant candelabra supports at the side of the keyboard, the piano had come into the possession of Gabriele Merelli who, although he could not play at the time, had decided to buy it.
However, one last journey was still on the cards for the small Austrian piano (which has now been perfectly restored) – one as unexpected as the others (and certainly in our opinion, the most prestigious one): the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo.

Restoration of 2018 by Bonomi & Roggeri pianos