Tomáš Hanus & WNO Orchestra – Prague Spring Festival Opening Concert – Photo Credit Pražské Jaro 2
The Welsh National Opera (WNO) Orchestra will embark on a musical journey through some of Central Europe’s finest masterpieces, for their summer concert tour, Crossing Borders, presented by WNO Music Director Tomáš Hanus.
The tour will visit Turner Sims, Southampton on Tuesday 9 July.
Opening the concert is the spirited Overture from Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, marking the composer’s 200th anniversary. Then audiences will be treated to Beethoven’s highly celebrated Violin Concerto, with soloist WNO Leader David Adams. Meanwhile, audiences in Bangor, Cardiff and Newtown will hear Mozart’s lyrical Clarinet Concerto in A Major; Mozart’s last completed instrumental composition, with soloist Thomas Verity.
Thomas Verity says: “We’re so lucky as clarinetists to have one of Mozart’s late masterpieces in our core repertoire. I’m really looking forward to playing the Concerto across Wales with my wonderful WNO colleagues. I find the slow second movement particularly beautiful, where it’s as if Mozart writes an opera aria for the clarinet!”
Rounding off the programme is Schumann’s fantastical and inspiring Symphony No 4, infused with the famous ‘Clara Theme’, in dedication to his wife
WNO Music Director Tomáš Hanus adds: “I am delighted to be touring Wales and England with WNO Crossing Borders this summer, visiting some new venues in these beautiful countries.
“It is a joy to be able to present Smetana’s Bartered Bride Overture in the year marking the 200th anniversary of Smetana’s birth, bringing music from my country (Czechia) to the UK.
“It is also a fantastic opportunity to showcase the exceptional musicians of WNO Orchestra, joined by WNO Orchestra’s Leader David Adams and Section Principal Clarinet Thomas Verity, in two mammoth concertos of the classical repertoire, Beethoven’s mighty Violin Concerto and Mozart’s much loved Clarinet Concerto.
“We complete this programme with the fiery, yet lesser known, 4th Symphony of Schumann, a perfect display of the musicianship of this fantastic ensemble.”
Tickets for the concert can be booked from each venue, for more information visit wno.org.uk/orchestra.
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