Antonine University (UA) continued its Chamber Music Season VIII with an evening of remarkable musical intensity, welcoming cellist Ettore Pagano and pianist Massimo Spada on February 23, 2026, to the Hadat–Baabda Campus, Our Lady of the Seeds Church.

The recital brought together major works of the 20th century and late Romantic repertoire, offering the audience a rich and expressive musical journey shaped by contrast, dialogue, and depth. From the dramatic textures of Alfred Schnittke’s “Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 129” to the introspective intensity of György Ligeti’s“Sonata for Cello Solo,” the first part of the program highlighted the expressive breadth of the cello in both solo and chamber settings.

Following the interval, Bohuslav Martinů’s “Variations on a Theme of Rossini, H. 290” introduced a lively and imaginative transformation of a well-known operatic melody, before the evening culminated in Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19,” a Romantic masterpiece marked by sweeping lyricism and dramatic interplay between cello and piano.

Cellist Ettore Pagano, winner of the 2025 Abbiati Prize and the “Classeek Award” at the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA), demonstrated remarkable musical maturity and technical precision, engaging the audience with a performance characterized by intensity and expressive clarity. Pianist Massimo Spada, professor of piano at the Conservatorio Morlacchi in Perugia, offered a refined and balanced accompaniment, contributing to a cohesive and compelling musical dialogue throughout the evening.

The concert was met with attentive listening and warm appreciation from an audience from within and beyond the UA community, reaffirming the strong cultural presence of Chamber Music Season VIII on campus.

Through initiatives such as Chamber Music Season, UA continues to foster artistic excellence and cultural engagement under the artistic direction of Maestro Toufic Maatouk, OAM. Thus, creating spaces where music becomes a shared experience of reflection, dialogue, and beauty, and reinforcing the University’s commitment to cultural vitality within its community and beyond.