Chinese Tutor - The season for symphony

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CITYLIFE / Weekend & Holiday






The season for symphony


By Michelle Qiao (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-22 11:56





After a long hot summer,almost without symphonies, the curtain rises in
September on an orchestra from the Czech Republic and one from Spain to
begin a season of autumn concerts.

The city has been quiet for symphony orchestras for almost the whole hot
summer. Now two European orchestras, the Prague Sinfonia from the Czech
Republic and the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria from Spain are
coming with the cooler autumn breezes early next month.

"Czech orchestras always play in a unique style like chamber music," says
local music critic Li Yanhuan. "They usually don't have a large scale or
the compelling style like big orchestras. But their playing is incredibly
delicate, refined and decorous, just like the timbre of many chamber
orchestras. And the Czech orchestra musicians have also impressed me by
their harmonious cooperation."

The Prague Sinfonia will play Mozart's "Overture Don Giovanni,"
Mendelssohn's violin concert, Haydn's cellos concerto and Beethoven's
"Symphony No. 7."

The sinfonia was born as an expanded version of the Prague Chamber
Orchestra during their 16th tour in North America, after having
collaborated for more than 10 years with Christian Benda, chief conductor
and artistic director of the Prague Sinfonia.

The active orchestra has appeared frequently in the world's top music
festivals such as the Salzburg Festival in Vienna. The Czech audience can
hear them in their concert series held in the large hall of the
Rudolfinum (Dvorak Hall) and as a regular guest at the two major Czech
music festivals, the Prague Spring and the Prague Autumn.

It is interesting that conductor/cellist/composer Benda is a descendant
of the Czech Benda composer dynasty of the 18th century and a member of
the longest family of musicians in music history. He received his
professional training within his family where the musical tradition was
maintained without interruption through three centuries.

A passionate lover of vocal repertoire, Benda conducts vocalists such as
Barbara Hendricks, Cheryl Studer, Simon Estes and Renee Fleming. He has
been invited to conduct the commemoration concerts for President Vaclav
Havel with Renee Fleming and the Prague Symphony Orchestra.

While the music from Prague is still in the air, the Orquesta Filarmonica
de Gran Canaria from Spain will present Joaquin Rodrigo's "La Vida
Breve," Bizet's "Carmen Suite," Sarasate's "Aires Bohemios" and
"Zapateado" as well as Manuel de Falls' "The Three Cornered Hat" for the
Shanghai concert, highlighted by mezzo-soprano Nancy Fabiola Herrera and
violinist Alexander Da Costa.

The Czech and Spanish concerts will begin a season of excellent autumn
concerts in the city including the Vienna State Opera, the Budapest
Festival Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Prague Sinfonia
Date: September 2, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-500 yuan
The Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria

Date: September 16, 7:30pm
Tickets: 80-380 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan'an Rd E.
Tel: 021-5466-0260/5466-6818























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