What a breathtaking, captivating, exhilarating concert it was last Wednesday evening, performed by world stars at Hapag-Lloyd’s Hamburg headquarters. The voluntary financial contributions made by the roughly 70 guests are used to support refugees through the shipping line’s “Help” program. A very humanitarian gesture that might be a model for other enterprises to follow.
In recent times, thousands of refugees have flocked to Hamburg, home of shipping line Hapag-Lloyd AG, to find shelter and start a new life. Reason enough for the H-L management and staff to jump
on the “refugees welcome” bandwagon, offering the company’s support.
Wind of change
This commitment is borne by many shoulders but mainly driven forward by one man: Nils Haupt. Ever since the former Lufthansa Cargo Head of Communications is responsible for Hapag-Lloyd’s PR
activities, the shipping line’s venerable Hamburg headquarters has increasingly turned into an open house.
Last Wednesday, this wind of change blew once again through the halls of Hapag-Lloyd. Wind? It was more of a storm, some might say hurricane, aroused by the siblings Davide and Sara de Ascaniis.
Both of young age, but standing already on top of the ladder in their respective musical disciplines - violin and piano, inflamed musical fireworks that electrified the audience.
Exceptional talents
A sensational performance. Davide, born in 1991, is one of the world's best Paganini violinists. As a soloist, he has already thrilled 15,000 visitors attending his violin concert at the Taipei
Arena in Taiwan. His sister Sara, four years older than him, had begun playing the piano at the age of two, giving her first concert when she turned ten. No surprise, since both exceptional
talents come from a famous Italian family of professional musicians.
At Hapag-Lloyd, the gifted siblings performed six different, highly demanding pieces, including Niccoló Paganini's “Il Carnevale di Venezia,” Franz Schubert's “Fantasy for violin and piano in C
major,” and Johannes Brahms’ “Scherzo in C minor from F.A.E. Sonata.”
The concert ended with strong and lasting applause, standing ovations and shouts of bravo.
A matter of heart
A first-class event, everyone agreed.
The voluntary donations will be spent on language courses and the financing of some of the refugee’s professional development. An initiative applauded by Davide de Ascaniis. “For me it is a
matter of heart to contribute to improving the situation of refugees,” he stated. That’s why he accepted Hapag-Lloyd’s invitation conveyed by Nils Haupt right on the spot. Despite the fact that
only 70 guests attended the concert held in the shipping line’s forum, not 15,000 as once in Taiwan’s Taipei Arena.
Heiner Siegmund
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