Classical music festivals 2021: What's up in Germany and elsewhere?

 

Bayreuth Festival's main performance venue, the Richard Wagner Festspielhaus

• Author Anastassia Boutsko

Bachfest, Bayreuth Festival, Salzburg Festival: Organizers are hopeful even as the coronavirus forces them to modify their plans for spring and summer concerts.

 Despite a decrease in infections and an increase in vaccinations, the coronavirus pandemic will continue to influence all aspects of life in the coming months — including the classical music scene, where many music festivals fear they could go under. Nevertheless, organizers are reacting with creativity and flexibility to make the best of a challenging situation.

DW took a look at the strategies, plans and programs of a few major festivals set to take place between March and September 2021, and also spoke with festival directors.

Baden-Baden Easter Festival (March 27 — April 5)

Festival organizers in Baden-Baden are hopeful. Artistic director Benedikt Stampa enjoys the thought of being able to "prepare for the Easter Festival with the Berliner Philharmonic" as a kind of small musical reawakening. Though it is not yet clear what exactly the cooperation with the Berlin Philharmonic will look like, Stampa said that the artists are ready and excited. 

Information on when and how the 2021 Easter Festival in Baden-Baden might take place will be published "as late as possible and as early as necessary," Stampa said.

Dresden Music Festival (May 14 — June 12)

"Dialogues" — that is the Dresden Music Festival's motto this year. Cellist Jan Vogler, who has directed the festival since 2009, looks to the future with cautious optimism: "My responsibility as artistic director and also as a Dresden resident is to preserve as much as possible of the festival's charisma and musical power during the coronavirus crisis," he told DW.

Jan Vogler wants to perseve the character of the Dresden Music Festival despite the coronavirus

"We are creative and flexible. Formats with limited audiences, streaming, open air and a lot of communication with our worldwide audience will carry the Dresden Music Festival through this difficult time."

Leipzig Bachfest (June 11 — June 20)

The Leipzig Bachfest offers an extensive and varied program. Under the 2021 motto "Redemption," the festival features a tremendous undertaking: from June 12 to 15, Bach's Messiah chronicles the life of Jesus in three oratorios, the St. Matthew Passion and 33 selected cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Initially, each venue will only offer limited seating capacity. In the spring, the organizers will decide to what extent additional seats can be added. "This is the only way we can ensure that the 2021 Bach Festival can actually proceed as planned," festival director Michael Maul told DW. "I am pleased that we have found a solution allowing us to start advance sales on time with all planned events despite the pandemic."

Spannungen Festival (June 17 — June 21)

The Spannungen (literally, "tensions") Festival is currently looking to go ahead with  its plan B. Artistic director and pianist Lars Vogt told DW this means having "a reduced number of artists, a smaller audience (130 instead of 550 people) and programs of 60 to 70 minutes without an intermission, played twice each evening." 

It's 'plan B' at the art nouveau power plant that hosts the Spannungen Festival

Vogt founded the festival, which is known as the "Bayreuth of Chamber Music." It is held at an art nouveau power plant in the western German town of Heimbach. Last year, Spannungen took place as a kind of "ghost festival" in Berlin, with broadcasts online and on the radio, as well as in the DW Festival Concerts series. There will be broadcasts again this year, too. "And if the situation eases enough to allow for regular concerts, we can increase the program on relatively short notice," Vogt said.

PODIUM Esslingen (July 15 — July 25)

Similar to 2020, this year's PODIUM Esslingen festival will take place later than usual. "Due to the current situation, we have decided with a heavy heart to postpone the festival from spring to summer again this year," Steven Walter, the festival's artistic director, said. This is his last year in charge: As of 2022, he will be artistic director of the Beethovenfest Bonn.

"We very much hope that by [summer] we will once again be able to experience the unique power and beauty of music along with our audience — albeit at a distance and with strict hygiene measures." Advance ticket sales are expected to start at the end of April.

Salzburg Festival (July 17 — August 31)

Austria's Salzburg Festival was the big exception last summer: It was the only traditional festival that dared open in a modified form and with a strict hygiene concept supervised by medical experts. There was not a single positive COVID-19 case at the festival, neither among the artists and organizers, nor among the 76,500 visitors.

This year, the "miracle of Salzburg" enters its second round: 168 performances are scheduled over 46 days from mid-July to the end of August, including a much-anticipated premiere of a new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni, postponed from 2021, directed by Romeo Castellucci and with Teodor Currentzis conducting.

Bayreuth Festival (July 25 — August 25)

The Bayreuth Festival, one of the world's most traditional festivals, is going to go ahead — welcome news after its cancellation last summer due to the coronavirus.

For 2021, festival director Katharina Wagner has presented a bold program scheduled to take place both inside the Festspielhaus and outdoors. There will be a new production of Richard Wagner's Flying Dutchman, featuring Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv as the first woman to lead the Festival Orchestra. The program also includes revival productions of The Master Singers of Nuremberg and Tannhäuser.

It is not yet clear how big the indoor audience can be, since the famous "Wagner shed," an old wooden theater with no air conditioning where people sit close together, is highly unsuitable as a concert venue for pandemic times.

Customers who came away empty-handed in 2020 and those who waived their right to a refund will be prioritized in ticket sales. There will also be an online sale on the homepage starting June 6.

The Bayreuth Discourse series, the festival's podium for premieres, discussions and concerts, will take place both in the Festspielhaus and in the surrounding park and promises to an exciting and international part of the program. 

Beethovenfest Bonn (August 20 — September 10)

After a large part of the Beethovenfest Bonn had to be canceled last year, the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, music lovers are excited about 2021. Most of the 54 events originally planned for 2020 should be able to go ahead this year.

The festival will take place under the directorship of Nike Wagner for the last time, and under the motto "Auferstehn, ja auferstehn!"(Rise, yes, rise!).

Much of the 250th birthday celebrations for Beethoven as part of the Beethovenfest had to be canceled.

Organizers are cautiously optimistic that the festival might be able to perform for real audiences, even if smaller than usual, and feature large orchestras. "However, we are also working on plans B and C — for instance with smaller casts, shorter programs that can be repeated several times for this purpose, and alternative formats, such as televised screenings," said Michael Gassmann, the festival's new commercial director.

(C) 2021 by DW (Deutsche Welle)

This article has been translated from German.

The amazing story of the Welsh village choir that inspired Pavarotti to take up singing

 

The amazing story of the Welsh village choir that inspired Pavarotti to take up singing. Picture: Courtesy of The Fron Choir

By Maddy Shaw Roberts, ClassicFM London

 

From a local community choir to a worldwide choral sensation – here’s the remarkable history of the tiny Welsh singing ensemble that played a beautiful role in inspiring a young Luciano Pavarotti to deploy his now-legendary pipes.

The Fron Choir is a Welsh village ensemble with an extraordinary history.

Founded in 1947, the all-male chorus has its roots in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, a competition itself started after the Second World War to promote peace and cultural exchange around the world.

And on the day of the festival, who should show up but a young Luciano Pavarotti.

Luciano came with his conductor father, Fernando, whose own male voice choir, the Chorale di Rossini, had travelled from Modena, Italy to take part.

“In those days, competing choirs were lodged with local families,” the choir tells Classic FM. “The mother of two of the Fron Choir choristers, Travis and Vince Griffiths, offered hospitality to two Italian choristers.

“She was allocated a father and son called Fernando and Luciano Pavarotti.”

It was the Chorale di Rossini who took home the Male Voice Choir competition that day. And on hearing all the beautiful music from the Land of Song, young Luciano was inspired to take up singing and joined the Modena choir himself, which he later described as the most important musical experience of his life.

International participants competing at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Picture: Getty

“Luciano was just a teenager at the time. He apparently enjoyed the experience so much he vowed to return one day,” the choir added.

And, true to his word, he did – some forty years later, in 1995.

“That connection, made in 1955, resulted in his old choir being lodged with members of The Fron Choir,” the choir explains.

“Pavarotti stayed in a local hotel. We had several opportunities to spend time with him and, although we could not share the stage, he requested that we sing a Welsh song for him, which we did – in the car park of the hotel.

“Thus, Fron Choir, Rossini Choir and Pavarotti all came together for a short impromptu performance of about 15 minutes.”

“He was idolised by all the members of his own choir,” a choir member said. “Not even The Pope could have been more revered.

“It was great to watch him rehearse and then to be in the audience at his concert that weekend where all the accolades were fully justified.”

The great Christopher Plummer passed away

 

He was a classical pianist, and played Rachmaninoff between Sound of Music scenes...

Christopher Plummer was a classically trained pianist, and loved Rachmaninov. Picture: Getty/YouTube

By Maddy Shaw Roberts, ClassicFM London

 

The beloved star of stage and screen was an accomplished pianist, and often tickled the ivories to keep his cast mates entertained during breaks on set.

Christopher Plummer, or as he was most famously known, Captain von Trapp from The Sound of Music, died on 5 February and left behind an extraordinary legacy.

With a gloriously resonant voice, a wicked smile and seemingly sculpted features, the Canadian actor was first choice time and time again for the great Shakespearean roles, and he would leave an immeasurable mark on the acting world.

But as a boy, it was the thought of a pianistic career that occupied Plummer’s mind.

As a schoolboy, Plummer began studying to be a concert pianist, training in all the great classical works. Eventually, his love of acting would eclipse all serious thought to the instrument. But he always returned to the ivories.

Read more: The time Princess Diana casually sat at a piano and played Rachmaninov >

Before he became an actor, Christopher Plummer studied to be a concert pianist. Here he is playing between takes on ‘The Sound of Music.’ pic.twitter.com/4u8CyKFzqC

In this wonderful discussion of The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews, the legendary soprano recalls the time the late actor played for the cast.

“You were phenomenal off the set in that you kept us all very jolly,” Andrews tells Plummer. “You would play the piano brilliantly until very, very late at night.”

“Thank you very much but I think you were all very south to be able to say I played brilliantly…” Plummer says, modestly. “But I was constantly at that piano.”

(C) 2021 by ClassicFM London

An organist was put on hold for 70 minutes ...

 

... so she played along with the hold music.

Organist Anna Lapwood plays along with on-hold music. Picture: Twitter/Anna Lapwood

By Maddy Shaw Roberts, ClassicFM London

 

Never leave a musician on hold. Especially not with a relentless, undeveloped loop of Mozart…

Mozart’s arguably most popular symphony, his No.40, has been on a long and beautiful journey since the late 18th century. It was well-liked during the composer’s lifetime, with one of the catchiest opening movements of any symphony.

Then, flash-forward nearly a quarter of a century and its first movement was reincarnated in ‘90s mobile phones, as a now-nostalgically tinny ringtone.

Now, in 2021, it appears the seven-minute movement is being used as an energy company’s on-hold music.

And while on a call to sort her energy bill, one musician was having none of it.

When she was about to hear those sweeping, opening notes for the nth consecutive time, organist and conductor Anna Lapwood decided there was only one thing for it – to provide a live accompaniment.

Taking to her electric organ at home, Anna, who is also Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, added a sprinkling of musical relief to her Mozartian Groundhog Day (watch above).

Anna first tweeted about the incessant musical loop just after 11am on 27 January, which also happened to be the 265th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. 

“I have been on hold with my energy provider for 30 minutes and they are playing the first movement of Mozart 40 in an endless loop,” she tweeted her 14.5k followers.

“Worse than that, it’s just the exposition so we don’t even get any development or recap. AAAAAAAAAAA. Is this what hell feels like?”

I have been on hold with my energy provider for 30 minutes and they are playing the first movement of Mozart 40 in an endless loop. Worse than that, it's just the exposition so we don't even get any development or recap. AAAAAAAAAAA. Is this what hell feels like? 

Quick theory lesson – in Sonata form, which Mozart readily uses in this famous movement, the first section is the Exposition which usually contains two contrasting themes. A Development section, that’s usually full of drama, follows before all is resolved in a Recapitulation of the first themes.

But it seems for their on-hold music, the gas and electricity supplier decided to leave their customers hanging, with just a looping Exposition – with bat-eared listeners like Anna left yearning for the never-arriving harmonic resolution of the Recapitulation.

Finally, as Anna was getting really into her live accompaniment, she was taken off hold.

“Hello?” she answers, turning the camera off, finally alone without the incessant sound of the Molto Allegro...

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