choir chamber music orchestra opera & Lyric piano

World music Tuesday Thursday February 18 February 20 8:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. A colourful opening to the 21st Festival

In the Kingdom of Nature

Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi bandoneon Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra Gianluca Marcianò conductor In the Kingdom of Nature

Dvorak's overture evokes the Same program as Tuesday 18 creation of Nature by the Almighty. Nino Rota composed the music of the Godfather film and the Nino Rota Suite includes four pieces written for Fellini movies. Molinelli has dedicated his composition “Heart of Spring, Stormy weather” to Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi, the king of the bandoneon. Gianluca Marcianò, the festival’s music director, will conduct the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra

Dvorak, In the Nature’s Realm op.91; Nino Rota, Suite; R. Molinelli, Heart of Spring; Stormy Winter; Dvorak, Symphony n0.9 “From the New World” Saturday February 22 8:30 p.m.

Winter Dreams Alexandra Soumm Violin Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra Gianluca Marcianò conductor

Mendelssohn takes us to the west coast of Scotland by depicting the echoes of the extraordinary Fingal’s Cave in the Hebrides archipelago. This famous cave is mentionned by Jules Verne in his book « Le Rayon Vert ». Beethoven’s violin concerto will be played by Russian born violinist Alexandra Soumm, from France. The orchestra will play Tchaikovsky’s first symphony, also called “Winter Day Dreams”.

Alexandra Soumm plays a 1785 Guadanini violin. GIANLUCA MARCIANÒ

Gianluca Marcianò is one of the most National Opera (ENO) in 2013, conducting a exciting young conductors to emerge revival of Anthony Minghella’s award- from Italy in recent years. The 37-year- winning production of Madama Butterfly. old conductor holds the title of Musical Future projects will see Marciano return Director and Principal Conductor of the to Grange Park in the UK as well as Tbilisi State Opera and Ballet and is also performances in Moscow at the Vivacello the Music Director of the Al Bustan Festival and at London’s Wigmore Hall. Festival. He made his debut in the English 4th appearance at the Al Bustan Festival Tuesday Wednesday February 25 February 26 SALLE MONTAIGNE 6:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

Musique et Impressionnisme The Last Four Songs The Festival Lecture Johanni Van Oostrum Alain Duault soprano “Impressionism in music” is the subject of the lecture given by Alain Duault, a music lover and connoiseur. Pan-European Philharmonia The lecture will be in French. festival orchestra De Liszt à Borodine ou de Delibes à Debussy bien sûr et encore de Gianluca Marcianò Wagner à Philip Glass, la musique conductor impressionne les sens, tente de restituer des impressions ou d’en The fourth Symphony by Tchaykovsky produire. Comment la Nature y is one of the most uplifting pieces trouve-t-elle ses racines? of music.

Weber, Der Freischütz Overture; R. Strauss, The Last Four Songs; Tchaikovsy, Symphony n0.4

Österreichische Botschaft Beirut Austrian Embassy Beirut Friday February 28 8:30 p.m.

Stormy Weather Sergej Krylov violin Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra Gianluca Marcianò conductor

World famous violinist Sergej Krylov will play Tchaikovsky's violin concerto featured in french film 'Le Concert'. The second part of the concert will be a collection of storms by Tchaikovsky and Rossini.

Tchaikovsky, violin concerto in D major, Op. 35; Rossini, Willam Tell Overture; Rossini, Barbiere di Siviglia: The Storm; La Cenerentola: The Storm; Tchaikovsky, The Storm Saturday Saturday March 1 March 1 8:30 p.m. 10:00 p.m. CRYSTAL GARDEN

Late night Oriental Jazz

Nabil Khemir Whispers in the Forest Rayjan Nabil Dous Paolo Restani Drums piano An impressionist piano recital Hatem Gafsia painted with the colours of Liszt, bass Ravel, and Debussy. Rafik Gharbi piano Celebrate the marriage of a guitar and a mandolin; the result is a “Rayjan”. A thrilling new musical flavour brought to us by Tunisian artist Nabil Khemir and his band.

Liszt, Ravel, Debussy. Sunday March 2 8:30 p.m. Rhythm and Sound

Karbido The Table: Paweł, Igor, maot, Michał “A virtuosic and deeply moving hour.” (THE AUSTRALIAN)

The four musicians perform on one unique and unusual instrument: a table especially designed with inbuilt wind instruments and “An extraordinary musical spectacle.” other acoustic components. Karbido's crew, (The Times) far from being precise when defining their music, passionately shuffle their own puzzles. They are energetic optimists who like driving at full speed on an uneven ground.

You have never seen or heard something like “The Table” before. A mesmerizing and witty performance.

“A big hit on the Edinburg Festival Fringe. "some performers hit harder than others" - polish jazz- rock band Karbido are putting their percussive skills to less destructive ends - on a table.” (THE GUARDIAN) Tuesday March 4 8:30 p.m.

The Nightingale Helikon Opera Stravinsky’s famous and most loved opera. A nightingale sings for the Chinese Emperor who admires its song. Later three Japanese emissaries offer the emperor a mechanical nightingale, which pleases the Emperor. The real Nightingale flies away and the angry Emperor banishes the bird from his realm. The Court musicians call back the real Nightingale who sings to the dying Emperor and revives him. Thursday March 6 8:30 p.m.

La Finta Giardiniera, “The fake lady gardener”

Helikon Opera This opera is the work of a teenager called Mozart. Countess Violante is believed dead after she was wounded in a lover’s quarrel with Belfiore. She is still in love with him and persues him to Lagonero where she pretends to be the gardener, Sandrina, in the Mayor’s garden. Her servant, Nardo is with her. This is a lighthearted paper-back romance, full of misunderstandings and fake identities, where everyone is playing with love.

Sung in Italian with English and French Surtitles

ASSOCIATION PHILIPPE a JABRE Friday Sunday March 7 March 9 ST. GEORGE GREEK 8:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL, BEIRUT

Singing from Heaven All Beethoven The Helikon Patricia Opera choir Kopatchinskaja Tchaikovsky Vespers. violin A soul awakening performance Fazil Say piano Possibly the greatest violinist today, Patricia will play with the celebrated pianist, Fazil Say. An all Beethoven program ...

Beethoven,Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 5 in F major, Op.24 "Spring" ; Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 8 in G major op. 30/3; Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 9 in A major, Op. 47

She plays a Giovanni Francesco Pressenda, 1834

with the participation of Tuesday March 11 8:30 p.m.

All Chopin

Jan Lisiecki piano

“A pianist who makes every note count” (N.Y.Times)

“Perhaps the most complete pianist of his age” (BBC Magazine)

Gramophone award in 2013

Chopin, Grand Valse Brilliante Op. 18; 24 Préludes Op.28; 3 Nocturnes Op. 9; 3 Valses Op. 64; Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise Brilliante Op. 22 Wednesday Thursday March 12 March 13 Chirping of the nightingale 8:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. Our home grown choir

Lautten Compagney Berlin Al Bustan Festival Choir Concert Baroque Ensemble This group is a Berlin based baroque Edouard Torikian ensemble of the highest quality. Choirmaster Friday Saturday March 15 March 14 & Sunday March 16 8:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. MAR SASSINE CHURCH, Music by Candle Light BEYT MERI

Dreams and Romance

The State Ballet of Georgia Featuring the acclaimed ballerina Nina Ananiashvili in the role of Marguerite in the Fredryk Ashtron ballet “Margueritte and Armand” (La Dame aux Camélias) composed for Nuryev and Margot Fonteyn. The performance will also include “Chopiniana” choreographed by Mikhail Fokine, as well as “The Leipzig Quartet Dying Swan” by Saint Saëns. The Leipzig quartet has won numerous prizes and awards including the “Diapason d’Or”. The quartet's repertoire includes over 300 works by 100 composers.

Haydn, Sunrise Mozart, The Hunt Haydn, The Lark Afanasiev, Volga Tuesday March 18 8:30 p.m.

The Four Seasons Red Priest Baroque Ensemble Four musicians with period instruments strolling in Venice with Antonio Vivaldi, the Red Priest.

Vivaldi, Concerto in G major ‘The Sea Storm’; Cima, Sonata in A minor; Purcell, Two in One upon a Ground; Cazatti, Zefiro’s Ground; Ortiz,Two Ricercadas; Tartini, Listen to the Sea; Van Eyck, The English Nightingale; Telemann, Sonata in A minor; Vivaldi, The Four Seasons Wednesday March 19 8:30 p.m.

ST JOSEPH JESUIT CHURCH Beethoven’s Ninth Yasko Fujii soprano Clare Presland mezzo soprano Irakli Murjikneli tenor Sašä Čano bass Choirs of the Lebanese Conservatoire, Beethoven’s the Antonine University and the Notre dame university Ninth

Fthr Khalil rahme, Toufic Maatouk O.A.M. Choir Master The State Youth orchestra of Armenia, SYOA

Gianluca Marcianò Conductor

Armenian Embassy Sergey Smbatyan Friday Conductor March 21 Born into a family of musicians, Sergey 8:30 p.m. began his career as a violinist at the age of 13 and received a number of awards at international violin competitions in Japan, Romania and Italy. Cello Fantasy In 2005, at only 18 years of age, Mr. Smbatyan founded the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, and became its Antonio Meneses Artistic and Music Director. In 2008 the cello President of the Republic of Armenia granted the Orchestra the prestigious status of “State Orchestra” for its The State Youth orchestra outstanding professionalism and of Armenia, SYOA understanding of contemporary music. Under Mr. Smbatyan’s leadership, SYOA has appeared at leading international Sergey Smbatyan festivals and accompanied artists like conductor Vladimir Spivakov, Vadim Repin, Krysztof Penderecki, Maxim Vengerov, Boris The smoothest of cellists Antonio Berezovsky among others. Meneses, plays with the SYOA In 2011, he was selected to take part in orchestra conducted by Sergey the London Symphony Orchestra’s public Smbatyan master classes .He worked with the LSO under the direction of Valery Gergiev and Schumann: Cello Concerto Sir Colin Davis. In addition, he has taken Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite conducting lessons with Riccardo Muti. Dvorák: The Wild Dove (Orchestral poem, Op. 110)

Antonio Meneses plays an Alessandro Gagliano cello, 1730 Saturday March 22 8:30 p.m.

Khaled Mouzanar film scores

Khaled Mouzanar Composer Claude Chalhoub conductor/violinist

You already know his music from the award winning movie soundtracks “Caramel” , “Where do we go now” and “Beirut After Shave”; now you will experience his first live performance, complete with 30 musicians. You will listen to Khaled Mouzanar and his ensemble orchestra, under the direction of violin soloist Claude Chalhoub, while viewing some of the most memorable scenes from these films. Sunday March 23 8:30 p.m.

The heat of summer

Ruxandra Donose mezzo soprano The State Youth orchestra THE STATE YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF ARMENIA of Armenia, SYOA The SYOA was founded in 2005 by Garnier, (Paris) BKonzerthaus (Berlin) Gianluca Marcianò conductor Sergey Smbatyan, its artistic Dr Anton Philipszaal,(The Hague) Palais conductor director and principal conductor. Mr des Beaux Arts, (Brussels), p.Tchaikovdky Berlioz: Les Nuits d’été Smbatyan gathered young energetic Philharmonic Concert Hall and Conservatory th musicians and paved the Orchestra’s Great Concert Hall ( Moscow ) etc. Beethoven 6 : Symphonie Pastorale way to great stages and awards. The SYOA has close relations with the SYOA has managed to get high Masters of the world stage Valery Gergiev appraisal from audiences in the most Krzysztof Penderecki, Vladimir Spivakov, prestigious concert halls in Germany, Grigori Zhislin, Maxim Vengerof, Denis France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Matsuev, Vadim Repin, Vahagn Papyan, and other countries. In the Opera Boris Berezovsky and many others. Tickets on sale at:

The Festival Box Office Hotel Al Bustan: Tel: 04 972 980/1/2 • 03 752 000-9 Opening hours: 10.00 a.m to 8.00 p.m.

Librairie Antoine at the following branches:

• ABC Achrafieh: 01 218 078 • 03 890 713 Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. • ABC Dbayeh: 04 521 684 • 03 890 657 Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. • Beirut Souks: 01 999 650 • 03 890 673 Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. • Hamra: 01 341 472 Opening hours: Weekdays and Saturdays from 8.30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Booking online: www.albustanfestival.com

For further information, contact the Festival Office at Hotel Al Bustan: 04 972 980/1/2 • 03 752 000-6

For detailed prices please refer to the booking form attached