from 22 to 31 July 2011: PIETRASANTA, a Tuscan village renowned for its art foundries, close to the sea, and near Pisa, Florence, Lucca, Viareggio, Carrara, is living to the rhythm of concerts hosting the greatest names in classical music.
Martha ARGERICH, who has made it one of her summer appointments for 4 years, Boris BEREZOVSKY, Nicolas ANGELICH, Frank BRALEY, Henri DEMARQUETTE, Sergei KRYLOV, Natalya GUTMAN… will be some of the guests of the Festival.
For lovers of classical music, art, and Italy, a journey out of time just a few hours drive from the Côte d’Azur.
PROGRAM
Friday, July 22 – Cloister
“THE ANGEL AND THE DEVIL”
SERGEJ KRYLOV, violin
PIETRO DE MARIA, piano
BACH, STRAVINSKY, BEETHOVEN
The most “Italian” of Russian violin virtuosos (and resident of Cremona) will join Pietro de Maria, the heir of the great Italian piano tradition. Come and discover who between the two is “l’Angelo” and “il Diavolo”!
Saturday, July 23 – Cloister
“BACH-ANGELICH CONFRONTATION”
NICHOLAS ANGELICH, piano
ARRIAGA QUARTET, strings
(BACH – Goldberg Variations for piano – , MENDELSSOHN)
Nicolas Angelich will need only 55 minutes on the clock to climb the Mount Everest of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.
In prelude, and as a thank you to Mendelssohn who resurrected the Master’s music, his tearful String Quartet Opus 80, written after the death of Fanny, his soul mate.
Sunday, July 24 – Cloister
Luca Argentero presents: “VIVALDI, THE RED PRIEST”
TATJANA VASSILJEVA, cello
DIANA LIGETI, cello
ANTON MARTYNOV, violin
MICHAEL GUTTMAN, violin and conductor
CANTELLI ORCHESTRA OF MILAN
VIVALDI
If naysayers say Vivaldi wrote the same concerto 500 times, this concert should once and for all prove them wrong. He will find his best advocate in Luca Argentero, the rising Italian actor, who will unveil the first interpretation of a violin and cello concerto in A minor by Vivaldi, recently reconstructed by Anton Martynon, a culmination of this concerto festival.
Monday, July 25 – Piazza
“LA BOHÈME” on the Piazza
DIONYSIS GRAMMENOS, clarinet
CANTELLI ORCHESTRA OF MILAN
MICHAEL GUTTMAN, conductor
MOZART, WEBER, PIAZZOLA, CORELLI, and a tribute to CHARLES AZNAVOUR
Not all immortals have left us… At 86, Aznavour is a living legend and proof that geniuses can be found even outside classical music! Dionysis Grammenos, the Greek god of the clarinet, will make his Italian debut on the Piazza del Duomo.
Tuesday, July 26 – Cloister
Greta Scacchi presents: “SCHUBERTIADE,” the life of Schubert, narrated and illustrated
FRANCK BRALEY, piano
WERNER VAN MECHELEN, baritone
ENRICO FAGONE, double bass
ARRIAGA QUARTET, strings
SCHUBERT: “The Trout,” Lieder, Quartet and Impromptus
By the end of this concert, you will have spent an intimate evening with Schubert, thanks to the talented actress and a host of prestigious musicians who will recreate the warm atmosphere of his Viennese salon.
Wednesday, July 27 – Cloister
“THE DEPTH OF THE RUSSIAN SOUL”
BORIS BEREZOVSKY, piano
MICHAEL GUTTMAN, violin
HENRI DEMARQUETTE, cello
Russian composers: RACHMANINOV, TCHAIKOVSKY, ARENSKY
A virtuosic Russian pianist, straight out of a Dostoevsky novel, a fiery Belgian violinist of Russian origin, and a brilliant French cellist Russophile: together, they will shine all facets of the Russian soul on Versilia.
Friday, July 29 – Cloister
“THE RETURN OF MARTHA AND THE ITALIAN KING OF THE FLUTE”
MARTHA ARGERICH, piano
ANDREA GRIMINELLI, flute
PARIS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
MICHAEL GUTTMAN, conductor
BACH, SHOSTAKOVICH, MERCADANTE
There was “Slava” and now there is “Martha,” universally loved and admired. Her life is a tango with the world, an inimitable “pas de deux.” Don’t miss Andrea Griminelli, the Italian flutist, either!
Saturday, July 30 – Cloister
“THE RUSSIAN QUEEN OF THE CELLO” and the “Musica Viva” award winner
NATALIA GUTMAN, cello
VANESSA BENELLI MOSELL, piano
AKANE SAKAI, piano
PARIS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
MICHAEL GUTTMAN, conductor
BACH, MENDELSSOHN, HAYDN, MOZART
The Italo-Russian friendship will be sealed by Vanessa Benelli Mosell, the talented winner of the festival prize, and Natalia Gutman, the legendary Moscow cellist. Tonight, Guttman invites Gutman, and invites you to applaud this jewel of the Russian cultural heritage.
Sunday, July 31 – Piazza
“TANGO with Matha Argerich and Friends”
MARTHA ARGERICH, piano
PARIS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
EDUARDO HUBERT, conductor
Featuring LUIS BACALOV, MICHAEL GUTTMAN, and NESTOR MARCONI
No need to be Argentine to appreciate or play tango.
When Martha Argerich and her brilliant friends from Buenos Aires play their Milongas, the Piazza ignites: Viva “Argentalia”!
