Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonora Overture No.3, Op. 72b
Johannes Brahms: Double Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra in A minor, Op. 102
At every edition of Festival Maribor there is always one concert that stands out, distinguished with a certain starry glow. We are very happy that this year we have managed to unite three exceptional musicians with a leading Slovenian orchestra for a unique collaboration.
Marko Letonja will lead the
Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble with whom he was closely associated in the past as artistic director. Mr. Letonja, a regular guest conductor with eminent orchestras and renowned opera houses around the world, enjoys an international career but is always happy to return to his old orchestra and to his hometown of Maribor. This is a special event for us as well.
Marko Letonja’s appearance on Festival Maribor will be in the company of equals: together with the excellent Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, he will be joined by “our” cellist
Nicolas Altstaedt and this year’s special guest, Norwegian violinist
Vilde Frang. Vilde Frang is one of the world’s most sought-after young musicians, having impressed critics with her effortless virtuosity, deep musicality and exceptional lyricism. Her talent has been recognized by giants of the music world such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Sir Simon Rattle, Bernard Haitnik, Sir Antonio Pappano, Herbert Blomstedt and Vasily Petrenko.
These luminaries of the classical music world will come together for Brahms’s august Double Concerto, which Ms. Frang and Mr. Altstaedt have performed together many times at major concert venues to great acclaim. They know this demanding work down to the very last detail, yet continue to add spontaneity and their unique charm to every new performance.
We will also remember the subject of this year’s celebrations. Ludwig van Beethoven glorified the ideal of humanistic greatness as exemplified by mythological and historical figures such as Prometheus, who sacrificed himself to bring fire to humanity - and also illuminated it symbolically. This story fascinated Beethoven and he likely believed that the Promethean ray was still smoldering in each of us. Through the power of music, he hoped to ignite this ray of reason, making a “great man” out of the small.
For such a development, courage is needed. Courage that is greater than anything imaginable, courage that Leonora, the heroine of Beethoven’s opera
Fidelio, found in love and marital fidelity. And courage that we undoubtedly need ourselves – which this concert can certainly inspire within us!
*SOLD OUT!
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Tickets: 25 € / Senior 20 € / Students, Disability 12,50 €
Concert is part of the of the Orchestral Series 2019/2020 offered by the Narodni dom Maribor Cultural and Events Centre, for season ticket holders and the general public.
Discounted tickets can be purchased at the Information office of Narodni dom Maribor or at the concert venue up to an hour before the concert.
