Councours Géza Anda

One of the most challenging music competitions

April 2021

In 1979, Hortense Anda-Buhrle, the widow of the Hungarian-Swiss pianist Géza Anda, founded the Géza Anda piano competition in Zurich to commemorate her husband. The master pianist is celebrated as a great virtuoso thanks to his very first complete recording of all of Mozart’s piano concertos, and above all as a Mozart specialist.  

For the past 39 years, the Géza Anda Piano Competition is regarded as one of the most difficult piano competitions, and indeed the candidates have an immense set of specifications to master.  Held every three years, in Zürich, it aims to promote the development of pianists from the younger generations, and to help them succeed in the music world in the spirit of Géza Anda. 

What sets this competition apart is that the Géza Anda Foundation guarantees the prizewinners a certain number of solo engagements in international music centers, and provides free concert management for three years. That way, young pianists receive support to become professional pianists and the opportunity to cultivate their careers with care. The winners of the previous Géza Anda piano competition, such as Denes Varjon, Pietro De Maria, Alexei Volodin, Varvara Nepomnyashchaya, Dasol Kim and Andrew Tyson, after winning the Zurich competition, have performed in the main concert halls of all the world, achieving great popularity and prosperity. 

At the award ceremony of the final concert of past editions, on June 2018, the seven-member international jury awarded the first prize worth 30,000 Swiss francs to the American Chinese pianist Huang Ci, in recognition of her wonderful performance of Beethoven’s piano concerto (Ludwig van Beethoven) no. 4 in G major, op.58, conducted by Jury President Christian Zacharias in Zurich. The pianist was accompanied by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. 

The jury of the competition is generally formed by pianists, conductors and other personalities closely related to the world of music. In past editions there were also organizers and representatives of major record companies. Pianists must have, above all, a remarkable career on stage. In the 2021 jury we can find Mr. John Fiore, a very experienced conductor with a deep knowledge of the relationship between orchestra and soloist. Ye Xiaogang, an important representative of the Chinese music institutions will also be found in the jury.  

2021 is the centenary anniversary of Géza Anda, so the Géza Anda Foundation plans to carry out several events that will celebrate and commemorate the anniversary, the main one will be the fifteenth edition of one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the world.  The competition will be held in Zurich from May 27 to June 5, 2021.

The Musikverein

The secret behind perfect acoustics

January 2021

The Musikverein is the most famous center of Classicism. It is placed in an ideal city: Vienna the city of music in all its splendor. It remains the home of Vienna’s concert life, and it still has a prime spot in the pantheon of classical music auditoria.  

The auditorium is praised to be one of the most traditional and the favorite for many first-rate artists. The building on Karlsplatz, a short distance from the splendid boulevard that is the Ringstraße, is reminiscent of a temple, built in 1870 by Theophil Hansen in a historical style, with columns, pediments and reliefs. 

The Musikverein was founded in 1812 as “Society of Music Friends in Vienna”. Since 1831, the society organized concerts in a small hall with only 700 seats.  But with the growing of the social importance of music performances, the Society soon realized that it was in urgent need of a bigger venue. 

Theophil Hansen, one of the most popular Ringstraße architects, was chosen for the construction of the “Musikverein”. He created a massive building in neo-Classical style, which was officially opened in 1870. The “Goldene Saal”, was immediately famous for its excellent acoustics. Even today, it is considered to be among the best concert halls of its size in the World. 

The Great Hall of the Musikverein, also known as the Golden Hall, is famous for its sumptuous contents. Apollo and the muses are the object of all eyes, and the columns have been shaped like women in antiquity. Its design is incomparable, in addition to the acoustics of the hall.  

Acousticians have proved that this opulent ornamentation are the key Musikverein’s brilliant sound. Because the sound bounces off so many different planes and angles, it becomes warmer and richer, converting hall itself in an instrument that works as a resonating chamber. The sensation that sound transmits is unique in the whole world.  

Every year in the Great Hall of the Musikverein the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra takes place, which is broadcasted to an audience of millions internationally. 

Since 2004, there are four new rooms in the Musikverein: the Crystal Hall, the Metal Hall, the Stone Hall and the Wood Hall. Here is where the new artists traditionally make their debuts. In this way, for example, the internationally famous soprano Anna Prohaska made her debut at the Crystal Hall. 

This January first 2021 though, because of the Coronavirus crisis, millions of people around the world enjoyed only on television or online the traditional concert:  the Golden Hall remained closed to the public and the applauses came from the speakers.

Marlboro Music

The classical world’s most coveted retreat

October 2020

Marlboro Music was founded in 1951 by Rudolf Serkin, Adolf and Hermann Busch, and Marcel, Blanche, and Louis Moyse. Marlboro is a singular phenomenon. The great Austrian-born pianist Rudolf Serkin, Marlboro’s co-founder and long-time leader once declared that he wished to “create a community, almost utopian,” where artists could forget about commerce and escape into a purely musical realm.

For more over 65 years, Marlboro has had a profound influence on generations of leading chamber music artists and ensembles, recitalists, principals in the world’s major orchestras, singers, composers, artistic directors, and teachers.

Located on the tiny campus of Marlboro College, a former dairy farm, Marlboro brings together 60 to 80 musicians every July and August who explore chamber repertoire without the pressures and distractions that accompany daily life during the rest of the year.  The New Yorker Magazine describes as “The classical world’s most coveted retreat.”  Marlboro is a school that has no teachers or students — only participants, as they are called — from young professionals in their early 20s to veterans in their 80s. After three weeks of daily rehearsals, Marlboro artists begin sharing the results of their in-depth collaborations with audiences in public concerts. All the musicians are purposefully mixed in a workshop environment, which means that weekend concerts are a by-product, announced only a week or so in advance. Still, audiences travel from far and wide, appearing to welcome whatever is put in front of them. 

Today, Marlboro continues to thrive under the leadership of Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss, alternating the lead role from year to year. 

“I learn a lot,” Uchida said in an interview. “For example, when you play a piano quintet in the big world, I choose that superlatively good string quartet. They come prepared, I come prepared. It is me and the quartet as one. Here when we do a quintet, it’s four separate people plus me. And everyone is in a different stage of development and come from different schools and backgrounds. And there is so much more to sort out. And we have the time to sort it out.”

Marlboro Music cancelled its 2020 summer season (which would have been its 70th anniversary season) due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The festival is planning to return for the 2021 season, scheduled for July 17 to Aug. 15 of next year, as well as a 2020-21 Musicians from Marlboro tour schedule. “We will get through this period together, looking toward that time when we will once again be healed and uplifted by the incredible beauty and inspiration of live music,” organizers said. 

Salzburg Summer Festival

100 years of breathtaking performances

August 2020

The Salzburg Festival was inaugurated on August 22, 1920, with the premiere of Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s morality play Jedermann on the Domplatz, directed by Max Reinhardt. Since that time, the Salzburg Festival has established itself as the most important festival for opera, drama and concerts. During the six festival weeks in July and August, over 200 events, more than 250,000 visitors arrive to Salzburg. The various events are divided into three areas: drama, opera and concert.

Initially the festival idea was focused in the desire to hold artistic events of the highest standard in a close relationship with the cultural tradition of Austria. After the First World War, the aim of the festival was intended to support the creation of a new Austrian identity, whereby by referring back to tradition, a cultural restoration took place.  

Traditionally, most of the Festival events take place in the heart of the historic centre: The Festival Hall, the Felsenreitschule and the Haus für Mozart. Since 1920, Jedermann by Hugo von Hofmannsthal is staged at Cathedral Square in front of the Salzburg Cathedral attracting every year thousands of festival guests to Salzburg – enjoying most innovative dramatizations and top class actors. Playing the Jederman in Salzburg is considered as one of the most prestigious stage roles within the German speaking World. Open-air and incorporating Salzburg’s historical city as breathtaking back drop, this unique success story ensures an unforgettable evening. There are also several performances scheduled at Republic nearby, the Mozarteum or the auditorium at the Faculty of Catholic Theology.  

In 2020, 100 years of the Salzburg Festival are being celebrated. Unfortunately, this year due to the corona crisis, the Salzburg Festival was not able to celebrate its hundredth anniversary as planned. However, from August 1rst to 30th, 110 performances took place in 8 locations in Salzburg under strict regulations.  

The festival’s executive director, Lukas Crepaz, recalled that the founders of the festival had planned the first one in 1920 in much more difficult conditions than today, which provided inspiration even as the organisers were aware of the risks. 

“You have to find the balance. We said we wanted a festival that makes sense artistically and is affordable but health and security is above all,” said Crepaz. 

The festival engaged a team of medical experts to provide an overview of all their plans, and, based on their recommendations, it was decided to abandon intervals in all the productions and have no refreshments for sale inside venues. One thing clear from the beginning was that singers and musicians could not feasibly practice social distancing, and the whole cast undergoes a cover swab test after every performance. 

If you’d like to be updated about the festival’s news, you can visit their website: https://www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/en/

WIENER STAATSOPER

Enchanting Harmonies: Wiener Staatsoper’s Unforgettable 2023-2024 Season

March 2023

In the heart of Vienna, a grand opera house stands as a remarkable tribute to the world of musical artistry. The Wiener Staatsoper, steeped in a rich history and esteemed legacy, holds a special place in the hearts of music lovers across the globe. It all began on a momentous day, 25th May 1869, when the opera house proudly opened its doors with a breathtaking performance of Mozart’s masterpiece, “Don Juan.” The impact of that unforgettable evening was felt far beyond Vienna, igniting a thrilling journey of musical brilliance that continues to captivate audiences to this day.

Over the years, the Wiener Staatsoper has etched itself into the hearts of music lovers, captivating imaginations, and kindling artistic passion like no other. Its legacy transcends borders, making it a focal point of global admiration. The concerns and achievements of this venerable opera house have sparked public interest unmatched by any other city worldwide.

As the sun rises on a new season, the enchanting city of music eagerly anticipates a stellar year at the Wiener Staatsoper. The opera house recently unveiled its captivating line-up for the 2023-2024 season, promising an enchanting journey through the realm of opera, guided by the talents of extraordinary artists who will leave audiences spellbound.

The season commences with a majestic production of Giacomo Puccini’s revered work, “Il Trittico.” Mezzo-soprano Daria Sushkova takes center stage, gracing the role of “Suor Angelica” with her mesmerizing vocal prowess. From October to February, the melodious notes will fill the air, heralding a glorious start to the year.

In October and November, the resonant bass voice of Evgeny Solodovnikov will reverberate through the opera house as he embarks on the captivating journey of “Manon Lescaut.” The richness of his artistry is sure to captivate the hearts of the audience.

A momentous portrayal awaits in November, as the captivating soprano, Maria Nazarova, embodies the enigmatic character of Amanda in Ligeti’s daring masterpiece, “Le Grand Macabre.” The month also witnesses her return in revivals of beloved operas “La Bohème” and “Guillaume Tell,” enchanting listeners with her ethereal voice.

Stepping into December, the tenor sensation Norbert Ernst takes center stage in a new production of Puccini’s magnum opus, “Turandot,” embodying the spirited Pang. From December to June 2024, his thrilling performances promise a journey of vocal brilliance that is not to be missed.

February 2024 brings a spectacle of talent with Gennady Bezzubenkov, Michael Gniffke, Andrei Popov, Karl Laquit, Elena Vassileva, and Karl Laquit, among others, starring in Damiano Michieletto’s captivating production of “Animal Farm.” The opera world awaits with bated breath for this captivating rendition.

A series of mesmerizing revivals awaits, showcasing the incomparable bass, Adam Palka. In February, he graces the stage as Don Basilio in Rossini’s timeless “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” enchanting audiences with his commanding presence. In March, he takes on the mystical Vodník in Dvorak’s ethereal “Rusalka,” followed by his captivating portrayal of Mephistopheles in Gounod’s haunting “Faust” in May, a performance that promises to linger in the minds of all who witness it.

March brings the soul-stirring “Eugene Onegin” by Tchaikovsky, a captivating spectacle of emotions and music. The talented Boris Pinkhasovich, Daria Sushkova, and Ilia Kazakov lend their extraordinary voices, creating an unforgettable experience.

In May 2024, the radiant soprano, Caroline Wettergreen, graces the stage in Thomas Adès’ “The Tempest,” a mesmerizing portrayal that promises to leave hearts awash with emotion and wonder.

As the Wiener Staatsoper embarks on this sensational season, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the talented artists, whose passion and dedication will bring music to life. In bocca al lupo! Let the music weave its magic, and may each performance be an ode to the splendor of the human spirit and the timeless harmonies that resonate in our souls. As Vienna celebrates this musical symphony, the world awaits with bated breath, ready to embrace the magic of the Wiener Staatsoper.