Palermo gave its verdict on the final night. Seven sold-out performances at the Real Teatro Santa Cecilia — and on March 13, the city said farewell with a standing ovation that shook the ancient walls of one of Sicily’s most storied concert halls.
Gunhild Carling joined the Orchestra Jazz Siciliana under the baton of Maestro Angelo Valori for a programme that moved effortlessly between swing, vaudeville, and the great American songbook. The orchestra — built on decades of Sicilian jazz tradition — provided a lush, swinging canvas for Carling’s full arsenal: trombone, trumpet, vocals, harmonica, and the irrepressible showmanship that has made her one of the most sought-after soloists in the world.
The ensemble that filled the Teatro Santa Cecilia stage included some of the finest musicians in Italy: Giuseppe Costa, Vito Giordano, Antonino Pedone, Pietro Pedone, Fabio Riina, Domenico Riina, Salvatore Pizzo, Salvatore Pizzurro and Claudio Giambruno on saxophone — a collective sound honed over more than twenty years of continuous performance. Together with Carling, they turned the historic theatre into a living, breathing jazz club for seven unforgettable nights.
Photography: Arturo Di Vita
In the Press
“Tromba e tip tap, com’è vintage il jazz di Carling”
— Gigi Razete, La Repubblica Palermo
“Gunhild Carling accende Palermo: la regina dello swing con l’Orchestra Jazz Siciliana”
— Sicilia Uno News
“Gunhild Carling accende Palermo: la regina dello swing con l’Orchestra Jazz Siciliana”
— Comune di Palermo
Gunhild Carling with the Orchestra Jazz Siciliana · Real Teatro Santa Cecilia · Palermo, Italy · March 13, 2026 · Conductor: Maestro Angelo Valori · Photography: Arturo Di Vita