A cross-section of the opera will be performed on June 24 in the courtyard in Graz-Eggenberg – a “concert version” with costumes, a “highlight trip”, as Artistic Director Mathis Huber said at the program presentation on Friday.
However, a new format in the Palais Attems made the start the day before: “Up the stairs, down the stairs”: “The program goes through the house as a promenade concert,” said Huber; Among other things, Mozart and Handel are on offer.
Schlager fans will also get their money’s worth
The other highlights of the upcoming styriarte are the readings by Peter Simonischek from “Don Quijote” – accompanied by recorders – and the piano duo Anderson and Roe with their “Pop Heroes” (June 27): “The two tell the treasure of music history new,” enthused the director.
Schlager fans will also get their money’s worth with “My girl is just a saleswoman” (June 28). The Ensemble Zefiro will be loud on July 2nd in Schloss Eggenberg and in the castle park: “We are continuing our series of picnic concerts once more,” says Huber.
Greetings from Hollywood
Fans of film music should secure tickets for “Superman & Co” on July 6th in the Helmut List-Halle: The Fagotes Locos will present a panorama full of music by John Williams and other musical pieces. “They show that classical music has a chance of life in the future,” explained Huber.
Foretaste in April
With “Soundflix #2” on the subject of “Super Power”, conductor Mei-Ann Chen and the orchestra invite you to a foretaste of styriarte on April 27 in the Helmut List Hall.
On the other hand, it will be humorous and private in the same location on July 7th, when Karl Markovics will read from Beethoven’s conversation books – accompanied by Olga Chepovetsky on the piano.
A “novelty” at styriarte
An annual fixture is Stainz: Next year, on July 8th, Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” can be experienced in the parish church. With Bruno de Sá from Brazil, the director announced an “exciting novelty in the city”: on July 12, the soprano “Cleopatra” will take center stage, singing both the Egyptian heroine and the Roman emperor Caesar in the List Halle and play.
Cycling with musical accompaniment
After the success of last summer, styriarte has once more included a bicycle concert in Graz in the program in 2023: On July 15th, streets and squares named following women will be driven from Rosenhain, where music will be heard. It starts in Aigner-Rollett-Allee before continuing via the former Elisabeth-Platz to Maria Caesar Park, the future Maria-Stromberger-Gasse and the Helmut List-Halle, where a homage to Ella Fitzgerald is offered at the end . The “Heroines Tour” is around 15 kilometers long,” explained event dramaturge Katharina Schellnegger.
The most famous Styrian as a topic
On the last weekend of the festival, “Hasta La Vista, Baby” is dedicated to what is perhaps the world’s best-known Styrian: Arnold Schwarzengger. A musical hike around Lake Thaler in his home town near Graz promises film music from “Conan” and Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” and a homage by Manuela Kerer to Schwarzenegger as the world premiere (July 22). Conductor Jordi Savall forms the conclusion in the Helmut List Hall with the “Four Seasons” (July 22) and “Johanna von Orleans” (July 23).
Free tickets for “Heroines of Everyday Life”
The festival has a budget of 2.66 million euros for 2023, with 703,000 euros being contributed by the state of Styria, 636,000 euros by the city of Graz and 80,000 euros by the federal government. The remaining approximately 1.24 million euros will be financed with sponsors and through ticket sales, Huber calculated. Two selected performances with free tickets are offered for “everyday heroines”, for carers and for elementary teachers.
