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Vienna Symphony enthrals Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI - After performing in Dubai on November 25, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (VSO) came to Abu Dhabi on Monday night, where it held a concert at the Emirates Palace Auditorium.
- PUBLISHED: Wed 28 Nov 2007, 9:28 AM UPDATED: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 4:41 AM
This was the first time the Austrian musicians performed in the Gulf and their concerts were highly appreciated in both UAE cities.
The programme included Divertimento in D major K 136 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Concerto per Archi by Nino Rota, Souvenir de Florence (opus 70) by Tchaikovsky and Saus und Braus, Polka schnell (opus 69), by Josef Strauss.
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As expected, the music was impeccably performed, taking the audience from a light and cheerful mood often induced by Mozart's music, to Rota's playful and witty notes and from a deep and almost tense Tchaikovsky to the joyful Strauss performed entirely by pinching the strings of violins and double-basses.
VSO, which was formed in 1919, is now performing about 160 concerts every year, not just in Austria, but also in Europe and overseas. The UAE concerts were conducted by Jan Pospichal, a Czech violinist, who has been working with VSO since 1980. From 1982, he has become the orchestra's concert master.
VSO's performances in Abu Dhabi and Dubai were part of a larger cultural, tourism and commercial programme, “Vienna Days in the UAE”, organised by the authorities of the Austrian capital.
Rudi Schicker, executive councillor of urban development, traffic and transport of city of Vienna, told Khaleej Times why the UAE was chosen for this Austrian tour.
“The UAE is a good friend of Austria, and Vienna and Abu Dhabi have many things in common - they both have a high interest in culture, are concerned about the environment and keen on making investments,” he said.