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“There is no other violin… that has such wonderful colour and such sweetness”, said Frank Peter Zimmermann of his 1711 Stradivarius “Lady Inchiquin”. On 16&17 December 2011 (Fri & Sat), Zimmermann will be performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto on this precious violin, under the baton of conductor Lü Jia.

Simply Classic: “Zimmermann Plays Beethoven” will be held at 8pm, on 16&17 December in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Free pre-concert talks will be given on both nights at 7:15pm also at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. For details, please visit www.hkpo.com

About the “Lady Inchiquin”
Known as the “Lady Inchiquin”, this 300-year-old violin is one of about 700 surviving instruments made by the legendary Italian violin maker, Antonio Stradivari in 1711. Once owned by the great violinist Fritz Kreisler, “Lady Inchiquin” was bought by a German banking company in 2001 for Zimmermann’s use. Zimmermann once said each Stradivari has a humanity – “something that lives, Stradivari was not only a great craftsman, he was a genius like Shakespeare, or Leonardo, or Goethe, or Johann Sebastian Bach”.

Frank Peter Zimmermann, violin [Full Biography]

---The New York Times

“Zimmermann is every inch the master”

---Gramophone

Frank Peter Zimmermann has been recognized as one of the leading German violinists, not only for his formidable violin techniques and interpretive acumen, but also for his ability to adapt his style to accommodate the demands of a broad range of repertoire. He is the artist-in-residence of both the New York Philharmonic, with conductors Alan Gilbert and Christoph von Dohnanyi (including a tour through Europe, a recital and a chamber music concert in New York), and the Bamberger Symphoniker. He has collaborated with many world-class orchestras, including Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Sydney Symphony and London Philharmonic. Together with viola player Antoine Tamestit and cellist Christian Poltéra he forms the Trio Zimmermann which has performed in many cities, such as Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Paris, Vienna, etc, as well as during the festivals in Salzburg and Edinburgh.

Lü Jia, conductor [Full Biography]

“the most talented opera conductor at the moment”

---Il Secolo

Lü Jia was awarded both the First Prize and the Judges’ Prize in the Antonio Pedrotti International Conducting Competition in Trento, Italy, in 1990, and launched his career as a conductor. In 2006, he was the first Asian conductor to be appointed as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Arena di Verona, the world’s largest open-air opera theater. He has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra of Spain since 2007/08 season and is Musical Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra. He was awarded several times as the Best Conductor of the Year by various media, for instance, in 2002 and 2005 by the Swedish Press and in 1993, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006, awarded by Amadeus.

Programme
Some music is revolutionary in its vision. Beethoven seems to have had only days to compose his violin concerto, but he managed to break all the barriers with it, creating a work of triumph. Longer, more ambitious, more expressive than any string concerto that had come before, Beethoven’s became the model by which romantic composers would measure their own attempts - a musical hero, but a daunting one. Brahms felt Beethoven’s influence more than most composers. His ambition to write a first symphony was postponed for years, in the knowledge of what Beethoven had achieved in his symphonies. But we can be thankful for this, since during that time Brahms enriched other musical forms – the serenade.

Simply Classic: Musical Heroes
16&17 | 12| 2011
FRI & SAT 8PM
HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall
HK$380 $280 $200 $140
Available at URBTIX now

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Ticketing Information

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(852) 2111 5999
Online Booking
www.urbtix.hk

HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Edo de Waart
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) is one of Asia's leading orchestras. Enriching Hong Kong's cultural life for over a century, the Orchestra has grown into a formidable ensemble of Chinese and international talents, attracting world-class artists to collaborate on its stage. HKPO annually touches the lives of over 200,000 music lovers through more than 150 performances including its extensive education programme HSBC Insurance Creative Notes and free concerts such as the popular Swire Symphony under the Stars, and regular broadcasts and telecasts. Outside of Hong Kong, the HKPO has made a number of critically acclaimed tours in Asia and Europe.

The 2011/12 season will mark Maestro Edo de Waart's eighth and final season with the HKPO. Apart from his own series of five special programmes which are summaries of his achievements with the Orchestra over the last seven years, ending with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the new season will also attract a stellar cast of great artists and guest conductors.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
SWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre

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