This Friday's concert [on the 10th] is conducted by Christian Zacharias, who also plays as invited soloist.

 

The Sinfónica de Tenerife (Tenerife Symphony Orchestra), a project of the Island Council’s Department of Culture, inaugurates this week the new season with a programme that includes works by Schumann, Ravel, Strauss and Nicolai. The concert takes place on Friday 10 September at 7:30 p.m. and is conducted by Christian Zacharias at the Auditorio de Tenerife. Prior to the first rehearsal that took place on Monday the 6th, Pedro Martín, the President of the Island Council, and Enrique Arriaga, the island's Minister of Culture, supported the musicians of the orchestra, who face the challenge of a new campaign. Alejandro Krawietz, director of culture, also took part during the event.

The opening concert begins with the overture to 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' by Otto Nicolai (1810-1849). This is the German composer's most-performed and best-known part.  It begins with a very slow introduction that prepares the audience for a much more lively final. The programme continues with the 'Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor' by Robert Schumman (1810-1856). During this outstanding composition from the Romantic repertoire, the conductor will play the piano as soloist.

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The second part of the concert approaches the waltz through 'Valses nobles et sentimentales', by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937). The work consists of eight short pieces that Ravel decided to orchestrate a year after composing them with the aim of providing the music for ballet 'Adelaide: The language of flowers'. The programme ends with two pieces by Johan Strauss II (1825-1899): ‘Annen-Polka’ and the overture to 'The bat'.

Christian Zacharias has already played as pianist during previous seasons of Tenerife Symphony Orchestra. On this occasion, he makes his début with the OST as a conductor. Born in 1950 in Jamshedpur (India) but of German nationality, he began his piano studies at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. He later received training in Paris under Vlado Perlemuter, a French pianist of Lithuanian origin and for a time a collaborator of Ravel.

After winning several piano competitions like the Radio France's ‘Ravel Competition’, Zacharias began his international career in the 1970s. Considered as a versatile pianist in terms of formats, artists and styles, he has also cultivated chamber music with musicians such as the cellist Heinrich Schiff, the violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann or quartets such as the Alban Berg, the Guarneri and the Leipzig Quartet.

His best-known repertoire moves between classicism and romanticism, especially Schubert and Mozart's concertos (hits with million-dollar listens on Spotify alone) that have won several awards from critics such as the Diapason d'Or. His most renowned piano performances range from the sonatas of the Neapolitan Scarlatti to the maestro Soler or, as a conductor, with works by Bruckner or Schonberg. Among other acknowledgements, he has won the ‘Midem Classical Award Artist of the Year’ in 2007, the prestigious ‘Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ of France, the ‘Prix de l’Europe Francophone 2014 of the Association Professionnelle de la Critique Théâtre, Musique et Danse’ of Paris. In addition, Romania honoured him for his services to culture.

After the year 2000, his career was rather focused on direction and opera. He has conducted several productions of ‘The Clemency of Titus’ and ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, by Mozart. ‘The Beautiful Helen’, by Offenbach and ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’, by Otto Nicolai. The overture of the latter is included in this first season programme of Tenerife Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his career he has collaborated with orchestras such as the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (London), the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Basel Chamber Orchestra, the Berlin Konzerthausorchester and the Bamberger Symphoniker.

Tickets for the first seven concerts of the Symphony's season can be purchased up to two hours before the concert at www.sinfonicadetenerife.es, at the Auditorium's box office and by dialling the phone number 902 317 327 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except for public holidays. The audience is requested to arrive at the venue well in advance to enter the auditorium in staggered "waves” to enjoy this cultural experience. By purchasing tickets, you accept the measures implemented by the cultural centre of the Island Council to combat COVID-19, such as the correct use of masks and the attendance at the event only with people you live with. All of the measures, as well as the contingency plan certified by AENOR, can be consulted on our website.