HAYDN, MOZART, BEETHOVEN & SCHUBERT: LAST SONATAS II
Sir András Schiff
PHOTO PAT MOORE
Following a transcendent recital at the 2015 Festival, the legendary pianist returns to Kilkenny to continue his exploration of late works by these four musical titans, this year focusing on their penultimate sonatas. SATURDAY 6 AUGUST 8PM ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL TICKETS FROM €44
BACH: ARIAS & CANTATAS
Mark Padmore UK & Camerata Kilkenny
BACH: THE VIOLIN SONATAS & PARTITAS
Acclaimed worldwide for his role as the Evangelist in the Berlin Philharmonic’s recent stagings of Bach’s Passions, this peerless singer joins the Festival’s baroque ensemble for a mouth-watering programme of great arias and cantatas.
Alina Ibragimova Russia
TUESDAY 9 AUGUST 9.30PM (PROGRAMME I) WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST 9.30PM (PROGRAMME II) THE BLACK ABBEY TICKETS €25/€22.50 FOR EACH CONCERT
FRIDAY 12 AUGUST 7.30PM ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL TICKETS FROM €27 PHOTO MARCO BORGGREVE
PHOTO EVA VERMANDEL
The renowned Russian artist scales the Everest of violin music over two candlelit nights at the Black Abbey – her interpretation of the cycle at the BBC Proms last year was described as ‘life-changing’ (Observer) and ‘spellbinding’ (Guardian).
MOZART: PRINCE OF MUSIC One of the great joys of being alive is to discover the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with his unique fusion of high spirits and deep emotion, passionate drama and radiant serenity. Following our sold-out Bach series in 2015, the 43rd Kilkenny Arts Festival presents Ireland’s largest ever celebration of Salzburg’s most famous son.
Running throughout the Festival’s ten days, this epic musical journey will range from Mozart’s grandest opera to cycles of his piano sonatas, string quartets and late symphonies, alongside other masterworks, lectures and talks. Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime musical experience amid the stunning historic buildings of Ireland’s medieval city.
THE LATE SYMPHONIES
Irish Chamber Orchestra Gábor Takács-Nagy Hungary Jörg Widmann Germany In the final eight years of his life, Mozart wrote four last symphonies – astonishing works which broke new ground and heralded the innovations of the 19th century. The Irish Chamber Orchestra begins a three-year residency at the Festival with a cycle of these late masterworks over the opening weekend, alongside a pair of Mozart’s greatest concertos: the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola and the Clarinet Concerto. FRIDAY 5 AUGUST 8PM (PROGRAMME I) SUNDAY 7 AUGUST 7.30PM (PROGRAMME II) ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL TICKETS FROM €27 FOR EACH CONCERT
Idomeneo John Mark Ainsley, Ailish Tynan, Anna Devin & Rachel Kelly Irish Chamber Orchestra & chorus Christian Curnyn UK Idomeneo is Mozart’s first operatic masterpiece, and the most epic and symphonic of all his opera scores. Don’t miss a rare chance to experience this glorious work in concert, featuring a cast of international and Irish stars. The Festival’s orchestra in residence is conducted by Christian Curnyn, whose Early Opera Company presented a stunning Acis and Galatea at the 2014 Festival. Celebrated tenor John Mark Ainsley takes the title role, joined by Ailish Tynan as Elettra, Anna Devin as Ilia and Rachel Kelly as Idamante. THURSDAY 11 & SATURDAY 13 AUGUST 7.30PM ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL TICKETS FROM €39.50
Widmann Hunts Mozart The great German composer Jörg Widmann introduces his Hunt Quartet, performed by soloists of the Irish Chamber Orchestra alongside the Mozartian work of the same name which inspired it. SUNDAY 7 AUGUST 11AM THE PARADE TOWER TICKETS €15/€13
THE COMPLETE PIANO SONATAS
One of the most acclaimed Mozart specialists of our time makes his Irish recital debut with a rarely performed cycle of the complete piano sonatas. ‘Not since Lili Kraus more than half a century ago has a pianist tackled Mozart’s 18 piano sonatas with such insight, panache and dedication… a landmark’ (Financial Times). FRIDAY 5 – TUESDAY 9 AUGUST 1PM PROGRAMMES I-V ST JOHN’S PRIORY TICKETS €19/€17 FOR EACH CONCERT
PHOTO JAMES HILL
Christian Blackshaw UK
Music For Clockwork & Glass Long-time Festival artist Malcolm Proud performs, on organs large and small, a programme of captivating works which Mozart wrote for mechanical clockwork organ, glass organ and other unusual instruments. SATURDAY 13 AUGUST 11AM ST CANICE’S CATHEDRAL TICKETS €15/€13
THE GREAT STRING QUARTETS & QUINTETS
Heath Quartet UK After its unforgettable Beethoven cycle at the 2014 Festival, the superb Heath Quartet returns for a series exploring the ten string quartets and five string quintets Mozart wrote after reaching adulthood – some of the most extraordinary music he created in any genre. For the quintets, the ensemble is joined by guest violist Atte Kilpeläinen. WEDNESDAY 10 – SUNDAY 14 AUGUST 1PM PROGRAMMES I-V THE BLACK ABBEY TICKETS €19/€17 FOR EACH CONCERT
PHOTO PAT MOORE
with Atte Kilpeläinen Finland
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FULL PROGRAMME announced in June
BOX OFFICE opens 6 July
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