Abu Dhabi, August 03: The New York Philharmonic will open the second season of Abu Dhabi Classics, on October 23.
The first 2008-2009 eight months of a long season of classical music was already considered a success by its organiser, the Abu Dhabi authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), with 35,000 people attending the concerts.
For the 2009/10 season, executive director Till Janczukowicz has announced an expansion of the educational programme, done with the help of three world leading orchestras — the New York Philharmonic, the Philharmonia of London and the Vienna.
Visiting stars in the next season will include violinists Anne-Sophie Mutter and Frank Peter Zimmermann, pianist Emanuel Ax and conductors Seiji Ozawa, Myung-Whun Chung and Lorin Maazel.
The Bavarian State Opera from Munich will present a Wagner Gala, and Venice’s Teatro La Fenice returns with two full acts of opera from Verdi’s Rigoletto and La Traviata.
Programming highlights will also include the continuation of the cycle of Mahler symphonies, the beginning of a Beethoven symphonies cycle, family events, children’s concerts as well as a Valentine’s Day gala concert.
Now incorporated in Abu Dhabi Classics, the Al Ain Classics Festival will take place during the first half of March 2010 and will feature some of the same musicians performing in the capital — the New York Philharmonic and the Teatro La Fenice.
–Agencies