Fulminant musical prelude
New Year's concert inspires
Under the direction of Viennese conductor Michael Zlabinger, the orchestra, which is made up of musicians from over 20 nations, played timeless waltzes from the Viennese Strauss dynasty, lively polkas and rousing marches. Another highlight of the concert was the performance of the celebrated violinist József Lendvay, who mesmerised the audience with his rendition of Niccolò Paganini's "La campanella". The musical start to the year also delighted Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich, who had brought his baton with him from the last New Year's concert and conducted "Unter Donner und Blitz" by Johann Strauss.
The New Year's Concert opened with Bedrich Smetana's rousing overture to the opera "The Bartered Bride", which transported the audience into the world of classical opera with its lively melodies and cheerful rhythms. Works by Joseph Strauss and Niccolo Paganini are followed by several pieces by Johann Strauss Sohn, the 19th century Austrian composer also known as the "Waltz King", whose outstanding talent enriched the world with a multitude of waltzes, polkas and operettas.
The programme began after the interval with a potpourri of world-famous marches, quadrilles and waltzes. The official part of the programme ended with the timeless masterpiece "Tales from the Vienna Woods". However, the musicians were only allowed to leave the stage after four encores. Standing ovations and never-ending applause showed the enthusiasm of the audience and honoured the skills of the performers.
The date for next year has already been set
Next year, fans of classical music can once again look forward to an unforgettable concert experience: on 19 January 2025, the festival:philharmonie westfalen will once again make a guest appearance at the Beckum Municipal Theatre.
Further information on the festival:philharmonie westfalen can be found at https://www.musiklandschaft-westfalen.de/festival/.