At the heart of the Epicenter Venice International Music Festival lies the question of how a city with the cultural density of Venice, leading the way in the most up-to-date contemporary expressions, has not had a festival dedicated to classical music that can measure to the great music festivals of the world. A city different from all other cities, an untouchable monument, the most visited city in the world, an attraction for masses thirsty for culture and inspiration, a stage that lends itself for every new initiative in the cultural industry, and yet, it has not been able to offer to the world—and to its own residents—a festival where one can hear the greatest orchestras and soloists concentrated within a short period of time. This singular void in the city’s ecosystem, coupled with its iconic venues, its connection to most classical composers, its awe-inspiring splendor and its poignant fragility, make Epicenter Venice a compelling and long-overdue project, a cultural phenomenon ready to shake the global cultural landscape.