Lovers of classical music will be glad to know that the programme line up for the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival has been announced. So here is just a little taste of what you can expect from 23 January to 9 February 2010. Originally organised in 2006 in celebration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 250th birthday anniversary this year’s festival will see almost 20 performances in various venues around Johannesburg.
The first of 4 full scale symphony concerts is the opening of the festival at the Linder Auditorium (20h00). The Johannesburg Festival Orchestra, conducted by Richard Cock, performs Mozart’s Overture from Abduction from the Seraglio and Clarinet Concerto in A major as well as Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor. If you enjoy the works of Wolf and Schumann the head down to Northwards House on Sunday 24 January at 18h00 where Dietrich Henschel will be accompanied by Florian Uhlig on the piano for a song recital.
On Wednesday 27 January the Linder Auditorium will once again be filled with wonderful melodies with some of South Africa’s finest musicians performing on stage. Florian and Dietrich are joined by the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra, under Thomas Sanderlings baton, performing Moerane’s Fatse La Heso, Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D minor and Hartman’s Song of the four winds.
The following evening, Thursday 28 January, is the when chamber musician fans can relax and be entertained by first of 4 chamber concerts during the festival. Taking place at Northwards House some favourite works by Mozart, Nielsen and Schumann will be performed. The second chamber concert takes place on Friday 29 January when violinist, Lidia Baich, is joined by pianist, Matthias Fletzberger, to perform Sonatas by Marx, Beethoven, Prokofiev and Mozart. With the third symphony orchestra performance on Saturday 30 January.
A husband and wife duo, Nina Schumann and Louise Magalhães, take to the stage on Sunday 31 January with the festivals first piano recital with works from Debussy, Stravinsky and Ravel. With the final piano recital of the festival being performed by Florian Uhlig on Thursday 4 February, he will be playing Mozart’s Fantasy in C major as well as a number of other pieces.
If you’re looking for something a little different then the final symphony performance should be just what you’re looking for. Titled “Rock me, Amadeus” this performance has many surprises and is conducted by Richard Dickens. This is only some of the fantastic music you will be able to listen to throughout the festival. There are also choral concerts, outreach and development concerts and workshops.
Tickets for performances at the Linder Auditorium are available via Computicket, while tickets for performances at Northwards House are available from Caroline on telephone +27 (0)11 447-9264.
Source: http://blog.sa-venues.com/
