The Pollença Festival of classical music returns to the incomparable Claustre de Sant Domingo. The 62nd edition of one of the most outstanding events of the island and of the international circuit of this genre will offer an exceptional programme throughout the month of August, with six central concerts: three symphonic and three chamber concerts.
The best orchestras and the most renowned soloists, choirs and opera singers will take to a stage with privileged acoustics to play delicate melodies by classical and contemporary composers. On Saturday 5 August, the renowned Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE) will open the festival under the baton of Daniel Harding with a programme combining programmatic music (Beethoven’s ‘Coriolan Overture’ and Sibelius’ ‘Pelléas et Mélisande Suite’) and absolute music (Beethoven’s and Sibelius’ Symphonies No. 4).
“Traditional sounds, rhythms, tones and songs of the Mediterranean” will be at the forefront of the second day of the Pollença Festival on Tuesday 8 August. The Arpeggiata initiative, with the collaboration of Austrian Christina Pluhar and María del Mar Bonet, will showcase an interesting repertoire with one common element: the Mediterranean.
The Symphony Orchestra of the Balearic Islands and the Coral Universitat de les Illes Balears will put on a symphonic-choral concert on Saturday 12 August, with Joan Company Florit as guest conductor and the soprano Judith Van Wanroij.
At the halfway point of the festival, on Tuesday 15 August, the puppet company Etcétera and the Murtra Ensemble will present ‘Andersen, the Ugly Duckling’, a charity family concert featuring music, puppets, narration and video projections.
Two days later, on Thursday 17 August, the soprano Marina Rebeka, one of today’s most prestigious opera singers, and the French concert pianist Mathieu Pordoy will delight the audience with a fabulous recital full of references to 19th century music.
On Saturday 19 August it will be the turn of the Belcea Quartet, with Corina Belcea (violin), Axel Schacher (violin), Krzystztof Chorzelski (viola) and Antoine Lederlin (cello), who will introduce the audience to a repertoire of works by F. Schubert, A. Dvorak and Debussy.
The penultimate concert of the 62nd Pollença Festival, on 25 August, will be entrusted to the renowned cellist Nicolas Aldstaedt, who will perform Haydn’s ‘Concerto in C major’ and Boccherini’s ‘Concerto in G major’ with the baroque ensemble Arcangelo and Jonathan Cohen at the baton.
The closing performance of this great musical event will be given by Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmo Nie Bremen, with Hilary Hahn on violin, conducted by Omer Meir Wellber.
In the words of the organisers, “once again this year the personality and uniqueness of the Pollença Festival positions it as a window that allows the dazzling light of great artists to shine through, while also serving as a cultural beacon that, through musical works performed by the most prestigious ensembles and soloists, projects a light that is reflected throughout Europe.”
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