Siviero is the pianist invited to perform private recital for the Pope Benedict XVI

I had the opportunity to be with the Pope Benedict XVI, in a very close way, for six times. The first of these times already took place at the time of his arrival at the Bom Jesus Seminary, in Aparecida. We were a very small group of people, placed at the main entrance of the Seminary, in order to welcome the Holy Father. It was a very warm moment in which one could easily notice the donation and affection of the Pope which, united to his continuous smile, conveyed tremendous security and the immediate awareness that it was absolutely unnecessary any kind of tense or stiff attitude. On the contrary, his tranquile and serene way, like a real good grandpa, made us feel very much at ease. It really surprised me his steady, deep and warm look. One could see God through it! Very early, on the following day, I had the chance to talk with him and tell him that we shared the same passion: the piano. Actually, I was introduced by someone who said I was a pianist. It touched me to see that, while I held his hands showing him my joy for being a pianist, he corresponded with his look of approval. Few hours later the recital would start and, then, I had the chance to talk to him again… On all these occasions I felt as if I were the only person in the world to whom the Pope devoted all his attention. It is a very difficult feeling to place in words.

Just as he is before them. He is a man of a single piece. I think that is why he is so simple. I was told that the Latin word plicameans fold. A person sine plica, unwrinkled, without folds, is a simple person, transparent, honest. I saw all this mixed in his personality. I got really impressed.

It was May 12th, a Saturday, in the morning. I had just told him some personal things and he coming some steps back, ran up to me and told me (in Italian): We must organize a concert! I was speechless and again surprised by the proposal because I saw fashioned in a so simple sentence, so many things …

I saw that the Pope is before anything else a human being, a man. He is not only interested in spiritual, theological or ecclesial subjects. He is normal person! Despite his human and intellectual stature, he creates liaisons with people by getting interested precisely where he realizes that these liaisons can become stronger: it is not a strategy but it is real interest, a donation. It is a very natural offer of friendship and that captivated me. Now comes something important: it has never attracted me indecisive people, people who always seem to be playing chess with life and who do not want to commit themselves with something worthwhile. Personally I do not like people like that. Observe that he did not ask me whether was possible or not to organize a concert, but he said that we must organize a concert. Doubtless, he is a man who knows what he wants.

Quite eclectic but rooted in traditional German composers – Bach, Beethoven – including Mozart, who was Austrian. During World War II, Austria was given to Germany and the city of Salzburg has become, therefore, the point of stopping of the Ratzinger family that, among other things, used to take advantage of this fact to listen to good music. In one of those stops in Salzburg, his brother Georg brought him to a concert where it was performed the Mass in C minor by Mozart, and his comment was: It was at that moment that Mozart came to the bottom of my soul. His music – so brilliant and at the same time so intense – still makes me vibrate with emotion. It is not simple fun: the music of Mozart contains the whole tragedy of the human being. Germany, as the saying goes, is a land of poets and thinkers. This saying applies to fully to this Pope.

That it is worthwhile to embrace the truth without fear. That is not worthwhile to have a double life, or triple, to be one thing to someone and another for others. I do not know to explain, I do not know how to verbalize. My music has to be a consequence of this intimate setting inside. When a pianist, a musician, is going to perform a work he must have in mind exactly what he wants to convey. Otherwise, the message is not sent. So, the same! I made up my mind that I want to know, with the greatest possible accuracy, what it is worth trying to be consistent. I confess that after this meeting my ideas about so many things were a bit shaken … The Pope is not afraid of saying what he thinks. I admire that! Benedict XVI brought me up!

I believe that each and every song that I performed lead me, in an immediate way, to all those intense moments I lived.