For nearly half a century, Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Rolex has supported the development of exceptional artists around the world. As part of its long-standing commitment to music, it launched an initiative in August to help struggling musicians and singers whose careers have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by presenting three Rolex Perpetual Music concerts.

Around 100 artists were involved in the concerts, each of which was hosted by a Rolex Testimonee (the name given to its ambassadors). The concerts will be available to stream for free on the medici.tv platform until the end of October.

The first Perpetual Music concert took place at Teatro Rossini in Pesaro, Italy on August 21 with Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez, a Rolex Testimonee since 2015, leading the event. The program featured excerpts from Rossini operas, with the singers accompanied by the Rossini Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christopher Franklin.

Juan Diego Flórez and Cecilia Molinari at the Rolex Perpetual Music concert in Pesaro. Photograph © Rolex/Reto Albertalli

The second concert took place at the Berlin Staatsoper on September 1 with  Bulgarian-Swiss soprano Sonya Yoncheva, a Rolex Testimonee since 2011. The program ranged from all-time favourites to...