Niccolò Paganini

In most of his concerts, Stefano Mhanna performs works by Niccolò Paganini.

His performances of Paganini received acclaim in prestigious venues including St. Peter's Cathedral in Geneva, the Teatro Argentina in Rome, the Palazzina Liberty della Musica in Milan, and several Austrian cities such as Graz, Krems, and Kilb.
He has performed several times the variations on “God Save the King” op. 9, the variations on “Nel cor più non mi sento” (MS 44), the 24 Caprices, the Concertos no. 1 and no. 2 (La Campanella), the variations on “I palpiti” op. 13, “Perpetuela” (MS 66), “Moto perpetuo” op. 11 and many others.
During his career he had the opportunity to perform the complete 24 Caprices for solo violin on several occasions
Among his most successful interpretations of the 24 Caprices (complete performance) are the following:
  • April 17, 2010: “Spring Concert – Virtue in Music,” artistic director: Leone Magiera, honorary president of the Claudio Abbado Municipal Theatre in Ferrara and pianist, conductor, and collaborator of Luciano Pavarotti – (complete performance of the 24 Caprices)
Il Resto del Carlino – 14. März 2010
Corriere di Bologna – 23. April 2010
Even as a child, he performed Paganini's violin works according to the composer's handwritten instructions, including—when requested—the "scordatura",
And when Stefano Mhanna, at the age of 13, played Paganini's Mosè Fantasia, MS 23, with the orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, he fulfilled the composer's wish and tuned the violin's fourth string to B instead of the usual G (see video from 2008).