Spotlight: Tuscan Sun Festival

The Tuscan Sun Festival is an annual music and arts Festival that takes place within the intimate setting of the medieval town of Cortona, in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany. This lifestyle Festival offers an exciting program that includes not only world class concerts, but a daily program of events that explore fine arts, culinary & wine, wellness, and local culture & history.

Each evening, concerts featuring some of the world's most distinguished artists are performed in the intimate setting of the Romantic-period theatre, Teatro Signorelli.

The Story of the Sun Festivals

In the 1990s, Barrett Wissman and cellist Nina Kotova had often discussed organizing an event somewhere in the world where friends could make music together in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

As regular visitors and part-time residents in the Cortona area, Wissman and Kotova discussed their desire to bring together musicians, as well as artists from many disciplines, with their neighbour, Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun. Mayes suggested that Cortona might be the very location for such a gathering.

Barrett Wissman: Renaissance Man

PARVATHI NAYAR meets Barrett Wissman: chairman of arts management company IMG Artists, philanthropist, pianist and bon vivant

'have always been interested in doing many different things at the same time.' An unusual admission to make in these specialist times, when the age of the generalist, polymath or Renaissance man seems long gone. But Barrett Wissman - chairman of IMG Artists, also financier, philanthropist, classical pianist and bon vivant - is an unusual combination. You could call him a creative businessman, or a man interested in the business of creativity.

Photo: J. Henry Fair

Today, with an annual turnover exceeding US$100 million, 'we are the largest arts management company globally,' says Mr Wissman. IMG Artists represents some 500 top artists - Hilary Hahn, James Galway, Lang Lang, Murray Perahia, the Oslo Philharmonic with Andre Previn, and Pilobolus among others. Mr Wissman's personal contacts have expanded the areas of business, as in extending their representation of violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman to Europe.