Anna Tifu Stars at InClassica With Rendition of Chausson's 'Poeme'

InClassica 2021 is the biggest and most ambitious music festival to ever take place in the Middle East, welcoming a staggering 37 world-renowned soloists, 7 celebrated orchestras and 12 leading conductors to Dubai for a 30-day celebration of sublime musicianship, world-class performance and international collaboration. InClassica is pleased to present the biggest names in classical music today, featuring performers from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, for an unrivalled programme of phenomenal concerts taking place at the Dubai Opera and Coca-Cola Arena. The festival features a range of music from distinguished historical European composers, as well as works from the event’s Composer-in-Residence, Alexey Shor. 

Last night at InClassica

Poetic Inspirations
Coca-Cola Arena

When Karl Adolf Suckow translated Lord Byron's dramatic poem Manfred into German, he thought of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy as the ideal composer for his words. Eventually, Robert Schumann was to become the composer of an incidental music based on the translation that was inaugurated in 1852, under the baton of Franz Liszt. Also, Ernest Chausson's Poème was inspired by poetry, as the title clearly states and gave the soloist, Anna Tifu, the opportunity to show the expressive qualities and romantic colours of her violin. For the finale of the concert, Michael Francis and the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz chose Johannes Brahms's Symphony No. 1 – a truly personal milestone that contributed to finding new paths after Beethoven's titanic oeuvre.

Anna Tifu (violin)
 - How was your experience of the concert? “Well usually I’m never happy but I have to say that today I felt very comfortable. The hall had great acoustics actually, which I didn’t expect because during the rehearsal it sounded different, not as good as tonight, so I felt very well on the stage and this is very important. I felt very happy about the whole performance, and I’m just sorry that I have to leave tomorrow because I would have liked to be here and listen to other concerts but I hope I will be here again soon.”
 - How did the collaboration with Michael Francis and the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz go? “I love this orchestra, I love the conductor. It was my first time playing with Michael Francis and with this orchestra but I really liked it very much; everything went very well.”
 - You performed E. Chausson’s Poeme this evening, which isn’t a very common piece from the repertoire. Was there any reason why you went for this choice? “It’s not a very common piece and it’s not played very often but it’s beautiful especially with the orchestra, because there is also a version with piano. With the orchestra it’s another thing altogether though, and it’s a piece full of colours. You can make lot of different techniques and vibratos, you can really play with your vibrato and your sound which I really love to do, so I love this piece and when I can I always propose to play this because it’s a really great piece, and unfortunately it’s not played very often.” 
 - How did everything go from an organisational perspective? “Great, very great. It’s just my first time in Dubai but I love the hotel, I love the people, I love everybody. Everyone has been so nice and everything has been so precise. It’s a really great festival.”

Michael Francis
 - What are your thoughts on this evening’s concert? “I thought it was very powerful. Music, of course, is everything — the music just makes it happen, it’s not us, we are the servants of the music. So, this always goes back to the genius of the composers and their openness to share their heart, and for us as musicians we need to become almost like character actors. Like Stanislavski wrote — about finding that deep connection, to opening yourself up — art’s great gift is to teach empathy so we can step into someone else’s shoes. Not just know what they went through, but feel what they went through. That’s the great thing, and to share that here in Dubai is a tremendous privilege, and the orchestra played with tremendous fire and passion and commitment — they played their hearts out for the people of Dubai.”

Quotes From Those in Attendance: 

“I have to say, the piece with Anna Tifu was really great. She’s a fantastic violinist and the piece seemed to really suit her. Wonderful evening.” — audience member

“What a great performance!” — audience member

“This was the first concert I’d been to in a long time so I really enjoyed it. Lovely music.”  — audience member 

Tonight at InClassica*

Genius and Faith
Coca-Cola Arena

A concert combining a symphony by one the most important German composers of the 19th century with a ballet by one of the most renowned composers of our time. Carmen Giannattasio is the soloist in Alexey Shor's Crystal Palace Suite, based on the historic figure of Anna Ionnanovna. When the overture was performed during the 40th Gramophone Classical Music Awards Ceremony in London, it was the first time ever that a contemporary composition was included in the festivity. With his Symphony No. 5, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, baptized in the Lutheran faith, wanted to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, one of the most important documents of Protestant Christianity. Composed in 1830, it was not premiered until 1868 as both an example of Mendelssohn's symphonic genius and an expression of his faith.

 - Carmen Giannattasio

 - Michael Francis

 - Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz

*Full details (including quotes from performers and attendees) will be available tomorrow. For any enquiries regarding tonight’s performance, please contact us.

Organised by the European Foundation for Support of Culture and SAMIT Event Group, the 2021 Edition of the InClassica International Music Festival is currently underway, with daily concerts taking place until the 26th of September. For more information or to book tickets, please visit the official website at inclassica.com.