Britten's War Requiem to open Ljubljana's Winter Festival
Ljubljana, 8 January - The annual Winter Festival of music will be held in Ljubljana from 20 February to 2 March, blending world-class performances with a brass ensemble competition. The programme will open with Benjamin Britten's monumental War Requiem and conclude with a recital by celebrated Russian pianist Grigory Sokolov.
Ljubljana
Festival Ljubljana head Darko Brlek announces Winter Festival.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Darko Brlek of the event's organiser Festival Ljubljana, best known for the capital's extensive summer festival, noted for the press on Wednesday the opening piece, the War Requiem, was a poignant choice for current times, conveying a message of peace.
Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit will lead the performance, featuring the Slovenian Philharmonic choir and orchestra, the Kaunas State Choir, the Vienna Boys' Choir, and soloists Nadezhda Pavlova, Ian Bostridge, and Matthias Goerne.
Additional highlights include a harp recital by Mojca Zlobko Vajgl and Marion Ravot, performing works from baroque to contemporary, including a new piece by Slovenian composer Aldo Kumar. Accordionist Marko Hatlak will explore Bach's musical richness with vocalists, instrumentalists, and the Ljubljana Music Society Mixed Choir.
The Zagreb Soloists will also perform, presenting pieces such as Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, with a possible nod to Slovenian and Croatian composers as well.
Sokolov's closing recital in the Gallus Hall also remains shrouded in mystery, a hallmark of the artist. The Russian virtuoso moreover only plays on pianos that are four years old at the most, which is why a Steinway will be brought in from Italy.
Meanwhile, the festival will also feature this year the first international competition for brass quartets and quintets, led by Branimir Slokar. From 24 February to 1 March, 16 ensembles from 23 countries will perform varied repertoires, including a new piece written by Slovenian composer Nina Šenk especially for the occasion.