During the Prize ceremony of the 2026 Cello Competition on Tuesday 2 June, presided over by Queen Mathilde, First Prize Winner Ettore Pagano was presented with the “Casals” Goffriller cello by Narcís Serra, Vice-President of the Pau Casals Foundation. The presentation followed a speech by Jordi Pardo, General Director of the Foundation.

The loan of the cello is part of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Pablo Casals, which coincides with the 150th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elisabeth. In keeping with Casals’ commitment to supporting young musicians and preserving the living legacy of his instrument, and in tribute to the deep friendship that united him with Queen Elisabeth, the Pau Casals Foundation has entrusted the instrument to Ettore Pagano for a period of four years.

“The loan of the ‘Casals’ Goffriller reflects the very values of the Competition: passing on a living heritage to a new generation of musicians,” explains Marie Vander Elst, Acting Secretary General of the Queen Elisabeth Competition.

Yvan de Launoit, President of the Board of directors of the Competition, highlights how this exceptional instrument will enable the young cellist to fully showcase his immense talent for four years: “This act of great generosity offers performers a tangible link to a musical history that continues to be written, and reminds us that the Competition is not just about a ranking, but also about personal fulfilment. We are deeply grateful to the Pau Casals Foundation for this highly symbolic initiative, which carries the full history of the Competition.”

Supporting young cellists is a core mission of the Pau Casals Foundation. Pablo Casals' widow, Marta Casals, who has been on the jury of the very first Queen Elisabeth Competition dedicated to the Cello in 2017, has preserved the instrument over the years by entrusting it to a succession of promising young musicians, including Matt Haimovitz, Anne Gastinel, Claudio Bohórquez and, more recently, Amit Peled. Peled described playing the Goffriller as “a journey of artistic exploration,” adding that “Casals’ cello has the most human voice of all cellos.”

Pablo Casals acquired the exceptional Goffriller cello in 1908. Built at the beginning of the 18th century by the great Venetian luthier Matteo Goffriller, the instrument was played by Casals for more than sixty years. Upon his death, Casals bequeathed the cello to the Pau Casals Foundation, while granting its rights of use to Marta Casals. Casals often explained that it was a challenging instrument to play, but that once mastered, it possessed a unique personality that he did not find in Stradivarius or Guarneri cellos.

“My cello is my best friend, my dearest friend; I even love its strings, which sound their best when they are about to break.”  Pablo Casals

Audiences will have the opportunity to hear Ettore Pagano perform on it at the Pau Casals International Music Festival (21 July, El Vendrell) and at the Palau de la Música (22 July, Barcelona), as well as many other concerts to come.