The Artistic Director Eva-Maria Sens and the Musical Director Ottavio Dantone, together with the Administrative Director Dr. Markus Lutz, the Governor of Tyrol Anton Mattle, and the Mayor of the city of Innsbruck Georg Willi, presented the program of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music 2024 at a press conference this morning. "Where do we come from, and where are we going?" is the guiding question posed by the Artistic Leadership to all considerations of their first joint program. The 48th Innsbruck Festival of Early Music will take place from July 21 to August 30.
"We have a vision: The Innsbruck Festival of Early Music is a place of fulfillment, emotional anchoring in sound, and the unconditional desire for a return for both the audience and artists. For this, we seek open dialogue between the past and the present. This is the starting point for our journey to the musical discoveries that still await us. With our 2024 program, we explore the cornerstones of this vision." announced Artistic Director Eva-Maria Sens and Musical Director Ottavio Dantone with great anticipation.
Ottavio Dantone marks his debut as Musical Director of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music with an "Inaugural Concert": Francesco Bartolomeo Conti's "Il trionfo della Fama" will be performed under his direction by the Accademia Bizantina, the new "orchestra in residence" of the Innsbruck Festival, La Stagione Armonica, NovoCanto, and soloists Benedetta Mazzucato, Sophie Rennert, Nicolo Balducci, Martin Vanberg, and Riccardo Novaro. Fama's gaze around the world forms the starting point for a look beyond the familiar, to questions of human existence and the evolution of established customs.
The focus for staged productions turns southward: Geminiano Giacomelli's "Cesare in Egitto," under the direction of Ottavio Dantone, opens the opera series of the Festival, featuring audience favorites Arianna Vendittelli, Margherita Maria Sala, and Filippo Mineccia. The internationally acclaimed Leo Muscato will direct. Andrea Marcon and the La Cetra Barockorchester will grace the Festival with Christoph Graupner's "Dido, Königin von Carthago". In the staging by historical performance practice specialist Deda Christina Colonna, Robin Johannsen will lead a cast of high-caliber singers (including Andreas Wolf, Alicia Amo) in the title role. In the Barockoper:Jung "Arianna in Creta" by Händel, participants from the previous Cesti Competition will once again showcase their exceptional talent.
The Ambraser Schlosskonzerte have been reorganized and will now take place every Friday and Saturday. They will kick off on July 26, 2024, with South African flutist Stefan Temmingh. Subsequent performers include the Innsbrucker Hofmusik, bass Luigi De Donato, violinist Leila Schayegh, and harpsichordist Jörg Halubek. Alongside numerous other artists, countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, keyboard virtuoso Jean Rondeau, Tyrolean harpist Margret Koell, and harpsichordist Elina Albach with her ensemble Contiuum will provide brilliant moments during the Festival. In addition to the Accademia Bizantina, other top ensembles such as Il Pomo d'Oro, Bach Collegium Japan, Collegium 1704, and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin will be guests in Innsbruck.
Baroque madness will be contemporarily danced ("Dancing Madness"), the origins of Carmina Burana can be listened to, and some wondrous instruments ("Wondrous Machine") will resound.
In addition to the established formats, there are also new formats to discover: For example, the meeting of international youth Baroque orchestras, "youngbaroque," which was first held in Innsbruck in 2022, will be part of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music from 2024 onwards. Also, the "Werkstattkonzerte" (Workshop Concerts) provide insight into Dantone's work with his orchestra, and "Die blaue Stunde" invites to a concert between day and night in the Hofgarten Innsbruck. In "Hörgeschichten" (Listening Stories), the Festival invites to discussions and exchanges about interpretation history and listening habits. A broad range of free formats, some in public spaces, completes the extensive and colorful program.
"The Innsbruck Festival of Early Music builds a musical bridge between the past and the present, making the socio-political relevance of cultural offerings visible with its high-quality program. With its international radiance, the Festival is one of the highlights of the Tyrolean cultural summer and sets standards in the care of Early Music and historical performance practice. I wish the new artistic leadership duo Eva-Maria Sens and Ottavio Dantone much success and invite all music enthusiasts to embrace the rich offerings of the Festival." says Governor Anton Mattle.
And Innsbruck's Mayor Georg Willi adds, "The first Festival under new leadership is always particularly exciting. Given the artistic-musical quality of the team at the helm of the Festival, we will rediscover musical gems and experience some surprising moments in 2024 – in original sound and excellently presented and interpreted. Over the years, the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music has not only found its way into the hearts of Early Music fans but has also become the calling card of the music city of Innsbruck."
The 48th Innsbruck Festival of Early Music includes a total of 56 events taking place over 31 days at more than 15 venues in Innsbruck and its surroundings. Tickets will be available from Monday, December 11, 2023, at all known pre-sale points. An exclusive pre-sale for members of the Friends of the Festival starts on Friday, December 1.