On October 30, 2025, the Venice Jazz Festival Fall will welcome Paolo Birro and Stefano Olivato to the Sale Apollinee of La Fenice Opera House for a concert that blends memory, reinvention, and the timeless language of jazz.
The story of this duo dates back to 1989, when pianist Birro and harmonica player Olivato taught at the Dizzy Gillespie School in Bassano del Grappa, founded by Dizzy himself alongside Lilian Terry. One day, Birro played Olivato the album Affinity by Bill Evans and Toots Thielemans—a pivotal moment that changed the course of Olivato’s career. Enchanted by the unique, lyrical voice of the harmonica, he soon embraced the instrument as his own, beginning a parallel journey that would accompany his path as a musician.
More than three decades later, the two reunited, rekindling the spark of that first inspiration. In August 2025, they released Armonica Standards, a live album recorded as a quartet, where their dialogue between piano and chromatic harmonica unfolds with freshness and depth. Their concert in Venice continues this exploration, offering a creative reinterpretation of jazz standards.
With refined artistry and a deep respect for tradition, Birro and Olivato approach the classics not as fixed monuments, but as living works to be rediscovered. Their performance promises to reveal the extraordinary expressive potential of an uncommon pairing—piano and harmonica—capable of uncovering unexplored paths and new emotions within the folds of jazz history.
An evening of elegance, intimacy, and innovation awaits in the heart of Venice.
Website: www.teatrolafenice.it
Location: La Fenice Opera House, Venice
Schedule: October 30,2025
