THE 44TH edition of the Bratislava Music Festival, the country’s most prestigious classical music event, will attract music lovers and stars to the nation’s capital.
A special evening, at which the La Scala Philharmonic will perform under the baton of Daniele Gatti, precedes the festival on November 14.
This will be the prominent ensemble’s first performance in Slovakia, and it certainly qualifies as one of highlights of the country’s music season.
The two-week festival starting on November 21 promises more big names from classical music, such as the Royal Flemish Philharmonic under the baton of Philippe Herreweghe, the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra and the Belarusian State Philharmonic.
Since 2008 is the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, Bratislava and Vienna – already the closest capital cities in Europe, at only 60 kilometres apart – have intensified their cooperation for this event.
The Twin-City Orchestra, consisting of the Wiener Symphoniker and the Slovak Philharmonic, is billed as one of the festival’s top events.
The festival’s programme offers performances by 11 orchestras from abroad, the highest number in its history.
As well as those mentioned above, two orchestras are arriving from Paris and Cannes, one is coming from Moscow and the others are from Warsaw, Linz, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Many of the soloists are award-winning artists, such as cellist Alexander Kniazev, violinist Viktor Tretyakov, cellist Denis Shapovalov and pianist Lars Vogt.
Trumpeter Gábor Boldoczky has been called “the genius of trumpet of the third millennium,” and legendary Irish flautist Sir James Galway, who has sold over 30 million albums, will also perform.
As is the tradition, the festival will premiere a work composed exclusively for the event. This year, the Slovak Sinfonietta of Žilina will play Midi Lidi, by Marek Piaček.
The programme also includes works by Eugen Suchoň, whose 100th birthday Slovakia is commemorating this year. The festival will open with his Psalm of the Carpathian Land, which is considered by many to be the most moving and expressive cantata of Slovak music. One of his operas, King Svätopluk, which premiered at the Slovak National Theatre (SND) earlier this month, is on the programme as well.
The SND is taking part in the festival by preparing the premiere of Orfeo ed Euridice, an opera by Christoph Willibald von Gluck.
The New Talent – SPP Foundation Award profiles new musicians, and is an inseparable part of the festival. This year, eight young musicians will compete for the top prize.
For more information, go to www.bhsfestival.sk.
