PARMA - The ancient clavichord stolen on New Year’s Eve in 2015 from the Arrigo Boito Conservatory returns to Italy from Albania. 

 On July 26, 2022, in Tirana, the Albanian Minister of Justice, Hon. Ulsi Manja returned the clavichord dating back to the 18^th century to the Italian Ambassador, H.E. Fabrizio Bucci and to the Commander of the Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC), Brigadier General Roberto Riccardi. The clavichord, whose creator is unknown, is part of the “Laura Alvini” collection and was loaned to the Arrigo Boito Conservatory of Parma, stolen on New Year’s Eve 2015, and recovered in Albania. 

 The ceremony took place in the presence of the Albanian Culture Minister, Hon. Elva Margariti. 

 Its recovery was made possible thanks to the investigations conducted by the Bologna TPC Unit, who at the end of 2018 intercepted the negotiations taking place in Albania for the sale of the antique clavichord between an unidentified person and an Albanian musician. 

 The investigations were in part thanks to the comparison of the photos with those in the ‘Data Bank of illicitly stolen cultural assets,’ managed by the TPC Command confirmed that the ancient artefact was in fact the 18^thcentury clavichord. 

 The recognition of the instrument, later confirmed by the Conservatory officials, allowed the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Parma - Dr. Daniela Nunno Sost., who coordinated the investigation - to forward a request for international judicial assistance to the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of First Instance in Tirana, and then to seize it, thanks to the support of the Office of the Expert for Security in Albania - Service for International Police Cooperation of the Central Directorate of the Criminal Police and the Albanian Police. 

 During the ceremony, Minister Ulsi Manja handed over the musical instrument to the TPC Carabinieri to be repatriated to Italy and returned to its rightful owner.

 al