Martha Argerich | News Music & Opera

The George Enescu International Festival is getting into the Spanish spirit!

admin_mowp — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:31:25 +0000

For its 27ᵉ edition, the George Enescu International Festival pays tribute to the Romanian composer’s deep attachment to French culture by putting classical music from France at the heart of its programme.

This interest took root in 1895, when, having just won a silver medal at the prestigious Vienna Conservatoire, Enescu chose Paris to pursue his musical training. He entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he rubbed shoulders with the future greats of French classical music: Maurice Ravel, Alfred Cortot, Paul Dukas, all classmates…

In the midst of this artistic effervescence, Enescu made his mark, particularly with his opera Œdipe (1936). This monumental score took him almost twenty years to complete. He died in Paris, his adopted home, and is buried today in the Père-Lachaise cemetery.

The Festival 2025 is a celebration of the French-language masterpieces that have marked the history of classical music. From 27 August to 21 September, lucky festival-goers will plunge into the world of Ravel, Poulenc, Bizet, Rameau and many others. True to its reputation for excellence, the George Enescu International Festival has invited the crème de la crème of international orchestras, with such great voices as Gaëlle Arquez, Benjamin Bernheim and Asmik Grigorian to perform the French repertoire (and others). Finally, two great operas will be performed: Ravel’s L’Heure Espagnole andEnescu ‘s famous Oedipus .

The 27th George Enescu International Festival is sure to cause a sensation, with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by the fiery Santtu-Matias Rouvali and the unmissable Martha Argerich with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. French artists take the lion’s share, with Renaud Capuçon, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Alexandre Kantorow, not forgetting ‘almost’ French conductors such as Cristian Măcelaru and Klaus Mäkelä, who conducts not the Orchestre de Paris but his other orchestra, the prestigious Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

The dates run until 21 September 2025. The ticket office is still open!

To get your tickets for the Bucharest festival, click here!

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At the Verbier Festival, the Celebration Continues!

admin_mowp — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:53:44 +0000

The 2023 season marked the 30th anniversary of the Verbier Festival, and now the program for 2025 has been revealed. The 32nd edition will take place from July 16 to August 3, 2025, featuring unique encounters and, as always, an impressive lineup of world-renowned artists, including Martha Argerich, Khatia Buniatishvili, Janine Jansen, Lise Davidsen, Bryn Terfel, Ludovic Tézier, Daniil Trifonov, Evgeny Kissin, Renaud Capuçon, Klaus Mäkelä, Paavo Järvi, Lahav Shani, as well as Barbara Hannigan, Sonya Yoncheva, Leonardo García-Alarcón, and Teodor Currentzis making their Verbier debuts. Anniversary celebrations will also play a significant role, with several special concerts planned: the 50th anniversary of the legendary duo Martha Argerich & Mischa Maisky, the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s passing with a special evening curated by Evgeny Kissin featuring Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Antoine Tamestit, and the Ébène Quartet; the centenary of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s birth with a concert-lecture envisioned by Benjamin Appl; and finally, the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel’s birth, celebrated with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet performing the complete solo piano works.

Find all the Verbier Festival program

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Easter in Aix with Capuçon

admin_mowp — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 08:00:05 +0000

One of the great must-attend events in the international classical music scene, the Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival has just unveiled its 2025 program, featuring, as we’ve come to expect, a wealth of stars. Renaud Capuçon, the renowned violinist and artistic director, has invited Martha Argerich, Lea Desandre, Christophe Rousset, Gautier Capuçon, Kian Soltani, Bertrand Chamayou, and several major orchestras, including the Orchestre National du Capitole, the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. A new exceptional edition! Ticket booking opens this Friday, October 11th…

Book your tickets for the Easter Festival straight away!

© Simon Fowler ; Festival de Pâques website

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Théâtre des Champs-Élysées – 2024-2025

admin_mowp — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 08:00:26 +0000

The 2024-2025 season at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is special for many reasons. It marks the final season curated by Michel Franck, the vibrant artistic director who has been at the helm since 2010. To celebrate, he has prepared a dazzling lineup that will delight all music lovers. Some events are bound to be highly sought after, so it is particularly important to book tickets in advance this season, especially for the operas.

The 2024-2025 season at the TCE encapsulates Michel Franck’s artistic choices. He has always been adept at presenting a wide range of repertoires, with perhaps a slight preference for baroque music. Opera enthusiasts are especially spoiled this season with offerings like Handel‘s magnificent masterpiece, Semele, featuring the beloved soprano Pretty Yende. This new production by Olivier Mears, directed by Emmanuelle Haïm, promises to be a highlight. France’s premier tenor, the dynamic Benjamin Bernheim, will perform his first Parisian Werther, staged by Christof Loy, alongside the impressive mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti. Viotti also stars in another major production, Der Rosenkavalier, an eagerly anticipated event with Marlis Petersen and Regula Mühlemann.

A noteworthy event is the revival of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, directed by Olivier Py. Patricia Petibon, who previously moved audiences as Blanche de la Force, now takes on the role of Mère Marie, symbolizing the continuity and transmission of operatic history. The season also features acclaimed soprano Anna Netrebko, and eagerly anticipated recitals by Philippe Jaroussky, Pretty Yende, and Jakub Józef Orliński.

Concert versions of operatic works will undoubtedly generate the most excitement. Highlights include Julien Chauvin’s presentation of Handel‘s La Resurrezione and Jephtha with an outstanding cast including Michael Spyres, Joyce DiDonato, Mélissa Petit, and Francesco Corti. A rare performance of Handel’s oratorio Deborah will be conducted by Ton Koopman. Mozart’s works are also prominent, with the Da Ponte trilogy entrusted to Alexis Kossenko (Don Giovanni), Giovanni Antonini (Le nozze di Figaro), and Marc Minkowski (Così fan tutte). Another beautiful Mozart opera in concert form, Mitridate, re di Ponto, will be conducted by Christophe Rousset. Notable performances include a Requiem featuring Lisette Oropesa, Eve-Maud Hubeaux, Cyrille Dubois, and Nahuel di Pierro.

Among the season’s highlights are Weber‘s romantic opera Freischütz, conducted by Antonello Manacorda with Charles Castronovo and Golda Schultz, and Rossini‘s Le Comte Ory with Cyrille Dubois. Elsa Dreisig will star as a divine Alcina in Handel’s opera, alongside Emily D’Angelo, Sandrine Piau, and Alex Rosen. Andrea Chénier by Giordano will feature the stellar voices of Riccardo Massi, Anna Pirozzi, Enkhbat Amartuvshin, and Sophie Pondjiclis. Audiences can also look forward to Marie-Nicole Lemieux in Rossini‘s L’Italiana in Algeri and Sabine Devieilhe in both Mozart and Boulez, celebrating his centennial.

The dance segment is equally unmissable, with performances by prominent choreographers such as Akram Khan, Carolyn Carlson, Mats Ek, and Sharon Eyal, along with an emotional holiday appearance by the National Opera Ballet of Ukraine. The season will be filled with major concerts and events. Martha Argerich opens the season with Lahav Shani and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Renowned pianists like Elisabeth Leonskaja, Evgeny Kissin, Grigory Sokolov, Mikhail Pletnev, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Nikolai Lugansky, Nelson Goerner, David Fray, Adam Laloum, Benjamin Grosvenor, and a new generation of stars including Jonathan Fournel, Bruce Liu, Dmitry Masleev, Jan Lisiecki, and the Jussen brothers will grace the stage. Other notable soloists include Gidon Kremer, Tabea Zimmermann, Thibault Cauvin with the pop artist and guitarist -M-, Sol Gabetta, Gautier Capuçon, Emmanuel Pahud, Nemanja Radulovic with his Ensemble Double Sens, and Edgar Moreau performing Bach. The loyalty of great conductors like Zubin Mehta, Daniele Gatti, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra underscores the exceptional nature of the 2024-2025 season, making it a must-see. Reservations are now open for all the events of this extraordinary season!

Get your tickets now for the new 2024-2025 season at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

© Hartl Meyer

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The Festival d’Aix is 10 years old

admin_mowp — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:36:48 +0000

Aix-en-Provence, the beautiful city of culture, will be in the spotlights in 2023. In July, the International Festival international d’art lyrique will celebrate its 75th summer, but before that, from 31 March to 16 April 2023, the 10-year anniversary edition of the Easter Festival will take place.

Dominique Bluzet and Renaud Capuçon, respectively Executive Director and Artistic Director, have invited the crème de la crème for the occasion (Martha Argerich, Igor Levit, Iván Fischer, René Jacobs, Fabio Luisi, François-Xavier Roth, Daniele Gatti, Klaus Mäkelä…) and are planning special events such as concerts with all the musicians revealed by Generation @ Aix since 2013.

Find your tickets here

(c) Caroline Doutre

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The two legends Martha Argerich and Mischa Maisky will perform at Toulouse’s La Halle aux Grains

admin_mowp — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 09:00:25 +0000

Great event at Toulouse’s La Halle aux Grains on Thursday, February 6, 2020, two living legends of classical music meet.

The great pianist Martha Argerich and the famous cellist Mischa Maisky perform a Brahms, Schumann and Shostakovich program.

Tickets should be booked without delay on Music&Opera !

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Long Thibaud Crespin Piano Competition with Martha Argerich as jury honoured Japan

admin_mowp — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 11:51:41 +0000

The 2019 Long Thibaud Crespin Piano Competition, starring Martha Argerich as President of the Jury and Bertrand Chamayou, honoured Japan by awarding Kenji Miura, first prize and Keigo Mukawa, second prize.

The third prize goes to Zhora Sargsyan from Armenia. Jean-Baptiste Doulcet, Alexandra Stychkina and Clément Lefebvre received also an award. Congratulations to the happy laureates!

Book your tickets to see the great pianist Martha Argerich here.

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Martha Argerich has withdrawn her recital at Carnegie Hall

admin_mowp — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 10:48:03 +0000

Pianist Martha Argerich has withdrawn from her duo-recital with violinist Itzhak Perlman on Thursday, March 22 at 8 PM in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. Ms. Argerich—who was scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of a six-concert US tour—has withdrawn from all upcoming US tour engagements this spring due to family and health problems.

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