Kuhmo Chamber Music, July 14–27, 2013

Voices of the century

The 2013 festival is privileged to be able to host Kaija Saariaho, Krzysztof Penderecki, Gidon Kremer, Magnus Lindberg and Sofia Gubaidulina (and have the blessing of Arvo Pärt and György Kurtág). They make this year somehow unique. The best musical minds of the world will meet and witness the performances of more than 160 top artists from all corners of the planet.

But some Finnish premieres may come from other, unexpected masters. Sir William Walton's absolute masterpiece The Death of Falstaff, Mozart's Le gelosie del seraglio, Shostakovich's operetta The Big Lightning or de Falla's Songs of Christmas Eve, Rachmaninoff’s Letter to Stanislawski, Chopin's Dumka, Beethoven's Seufzer eines Ungeliebten und Gegenliebe, to name only a few ... The timeless voices of God (Vox dei), of the people (Vox populi) which lit with their beauty the whole history of the arts; all will have their place of honour among the voices of our time.

And – as well – the voice which towers over all the dream machines of all times. Sheherazade – who lives in each of us, with our need to tell untold stories and bargain beauty and intelligence for life.

Don't miss them and don't miss any of the magic of these two weeks, for they will never happen the same way under the same stars.

Vladimir Mendelssohn
Artistic Director