relayed from the Hotel Victoria

Emilio Colombo is a truly cosmopolitan musician. Born in Italy, he toured with his father's orchestra all over Europe, and it was at St. Petersburg - as it was then - that he met Tchaikovsky, who took a great interest in the beginnings of his musical career. He received his musical education at Brussels, under the great Professor Thomson, and later he won the gold medal of the Royal Conservatoire at Liege. He then toured Europe on his own account, and again found his way to St. Petersburg, where he attained the summit of musical success by being appointed violinist to the Tsar. His first concert was held to celebrate the 300th year of the Romanov Dynasty. But the doom of the Romanovs was even then sealed, and, with his violin as his only possession, Colombo fled before the Revolution, playing his way across Siberia, through Japan - where he played to the Imperial Family - and Canada, to England. Much as Colombo loves playing to English audiences, he has confessed that one of his most moving experiences - being, as it was, a poignant reminder of old days - came when he was invited to play to the King and Queen of Italy when they entertained our own King and Queen at the Italian Embassy; an event of which he possesses a treasured memento - the Cross of the Cavaliere d'Italia.