Summer may well be the favourite season of classical music lovers, with numerous festivals spanning all genres and composers taking place worldwide. And what’s better than enjoying a live performance of your favourite piece? Enjoying it in the great outdoors, of course!
Here, Rosie Pentreath rounds up some of the best classical music festivals taking place in unexpected and spectacular locations around Europe this summer
Verbier Festival, Switzerland
NESTLED IN THE breathtaking Swiss Alps at 1,500 metres altitude is a picturesque little village called Verbier. While it may be best known as a premiere skiing resort that attracts everyone from the royal family members to music and film stars, there are plenty of reasons to visit it in the summer, too. One of the main ones? The Verbier Festival—a magical two week celebration of classical music at the top of the world.
The festival has become known for attracting the biggest soloists in the world, and this year, marking its 30th anniversary, is no exception. Chinese pianist Yuja Wang takes on Rachmaninov’s monumental Third Piano Concerto with conductor Zubin Mehta, while the young superstar cellist Sheku-Kanneh Mason performs Elgar’s enduringly beloved Cello Concerto. Fellow cellist Yo-Yo Ma joins for a sumptuous programme of chamber music dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven. Some of the other performers will include Renée Fleming, Evgeny Kissin, Lisa Batiashvili and many others.
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