Alban Berg Quartet opens Baalbek Int’l Fest
The Baalbek International Festival taking place in the ancient Lebanese city of Baalbek, home of some of the world’s best preserved Roman temples, kicked off Friday with a chamber music concert by the Vienna-based Alban Berg Quartet.
The concert, held at the Roman Temple of Bacchus, featured quartet pieces from Mozart, Bartok and Beethoven, performed by Gunter Pichler – violin, Gerhard Schulz – violin, Thomas Kakuska – viola, Valentin Erben – violoncello, according to the Lebanese daily al Nahar.
For over 30 years the Alban Berg Quartet has performed regularly in music capitals and major festivals throughout the world. They have their own concert series at the Vienna Konzerthaus (where they made their debut in 1971 and where they are now Honorary Members), at the South Bank Center in London (where they are Associate Artists), at the Zurich Opera, the Theatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, the Cologne Philharmonie and the Alte Oper Frankfurt.
Since they were founded the Alban Berg Quartet have been prolific recording artists and have received over 30 major international awards, including the Grand Prix du Disque, the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis, the Edison Prize, the first International Classical Music Award, the Japan Grand Prix and the Gramophone Magazine Award. Many of these recordings are regarded as definitive by public and critics alike.
Baalbek Festival will also host on August 3 at the Temple of Jupiter, Angela Giorgio and Roberto Alania, who will interpret lyrical parts from famous operas such as La Traviata, La Forza del Destino, Othello and Madame Butterfly. The will be accompanied by the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra.
The concert by the French tenor and his Romanian soprano wife is announced by organizers as “the major Francophone event of the year,” in reference to the summit of French-speaking countries due to be held in Beirut in October.
The event will also include performances by Brazilian pop star Gilberto Gil singing famous songs by reggae legend Bob Marley. The Irish tap dance troop created by Michael Flatley will perform the show “The Lord of the Dance” in which 50 dancer will participate.
The Lebanese Karakalla Dance Troupe will take part in Baalbek Festival by performing its recent show Alfa Laila wa Laila (Arabian Nights) which is distinguished with its atmosphere inspired from the ancient eastern heritage and from the tales of Arabian Nights.
– Albawaba.com
