PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WMF 2019 is bursting at the seams
The 2019 Wakkerstroom Music Festival is celebrating the 160th birthday of this quaint town at the foot of the Drakensberg in Mpumalanga with a programme that classical music connoisseurs would not want to miss out on. The festival menu offers a wide variety of concerts in almost all music genres. A satisfying festival is guaranteed with over 50 performances by more than 120 artists during the weekend of 20-24 March.
The 2019 WMF starts on Wednesday, 20 March with a concert adaptation of Bizet’s famous opera, Carmen, presented by Sempre Opera. The rest of the weekend is overflowing with performances by seasoned professional artists as well as young upcoming musicians. Festival goers can look forward to a duet concert by internationally renowned concert pianist and South African born Jan Hugo and his wife Clara, a soprano trained in Paris, France; a Vox Chamber Choir concert with works of the South African composer Franco Prinsloo; the Odeion Quartet from Bloemfontein joined by pianist Anneke Lamont; the Wits Trio; Vivace Guitar Duo; the AVO String Quartet; a ballet performance by Youth Dance Company Tshwane; the talented cellist Aristide du Plessis accompanied by Andrew Warburton; and the unique duo Magda de Vries on the marimba and Malané Hofmeyr-Burger on flute to only mention a few.
Apart from this rich variety of chamber music, numerous classical singers will perform this year at the WMF with diverse programmes—from tenor and soprano arias, a Spanish-Argentinian programme to German and French lieder. The classical jazz concerts will give visitors a light respite from the more serious performances—Red Rhapsody Jazz Ensemble and the Cherry Pill Band among those to provide foot-tapping and head-bobbing moments.
The annual highlight of every festival is the gala concert which will take place this year on Saturday, 23 March. The festival programme concludes Sunday, 24 March on a high note with a performance of Amadeus Mozart’s famous oratorio, the Requiem in D minor, K.626 by Ensemble Fons Partita and soloists from Sempre Opera, Deirdré Blignaut-Rautenbach (soprano), Aukse Trinkunas (mezzo), Chris Mostert (tenor) and Danie Verster (baritone). The final programme with the weekend’s concert schedule and online ticket sales will be available from the end of February 2019 at www.wmfestival.co.za. Due to the increasing popularity of the festival, visitors are encouraged to book accommodation as soon as possible. Information about accommodation and the festival programme is available on the website. Any inquiries can be sent to info@wmfestival.co.za.
Word count: 405
Published for and on behalf of: Wakkerstroom Music Festival
By: Linette van der Merwe
Tel: 082 923 1540
E-mail: linette@wmfestival.co.za
For comments or more information, please contact:
Tel: Linette van der Merwe – 082 923 1540
E-mail: linette@wmfestival.co.za
Website: www.wmfestival.co.za
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR AFRIKAANS VERSION
WMF 2019 bars uit sy nate
Die 2019 Wakkerstroom Musiekfees vier vanjaar die 160e verjaarsdag van dié bekoorlike dorpie aan die voet van die Drakensberge in Mpumalanga, met ʼn feesprogram wat klassiekemusiekfynproewers se monde sal laat water. Die feesspyskaart bied ʼn wye verskeidenheid van konserte in byna elke klassiekemusiekgenre waaruit feesgangers kan kies en keur. Met oor die 50 vertonings deur meer as 130 kunstenaars oor die naweek van 20-24 Maart vanjaar word ʼn genoegsame feeservaring gewaarborg.
Die 2019 WMF skop die fees op Woensdag die 20e Maart af met ʼn konsertweergawe van Bizet se welbekende opera, Carmen, wat deur Sempre Opera aangebied word. Die res van die naweek word tot boordens toe gevul met vertonings deur deurwinterde professionele kunstenaars sowel as jong opkomende musieklui. Feesgangers kan onder andere uitsien na die Suid-Afrikaansgebore Jan Hugo, internasionaal bekend as konsertpianis en sy vrou Clara, ʼn sopraan met opleiding in Parys, Frankryk, se duetkonsert; ʼn koorkonsert met werke van die Suid-Afrikaanse komponis, Franco Prinsloo, deur Vox Kamerkoor; die Odeionkwartet van Bloemfontein saam met die pianis Anneke Lamont; die Wits Trio; Vivace Guitar Duo; die AVO-Strykkwartet; Youth Dance Company Tshwane met ʼn balletuitvoering; die talentvolle tjellis, Aristide du Plessis begelei deur Andrew Warburton en die unieke duo Magda de Vries op marimba in samewerking met Malané Hofmeyr-Burger op fluit, om enkeles uit te sonder.
Bo en behalwe die ryk verskeidenheid van kamermusiek, is daar ook heelwat klassieke sangers wat vanjaar by die WMF optree met diverse programme – van tenoor- en sopraanarias, ʼn Spaans-Argentynse program tot Duitse en Franse lieder. Oudergewoonte word die meer swaarder konserte ook afgewissel met ligter, dog, klassieke jazz-konserte en vanjaar gaan Red Rhapsody Jazz Ensemble en die Cherry Pill Band sorg vir die heupswaai- en saamneurie-oomblikke.
Die jaarlikse hoogtepunt van elke fees is die galakonsert wat vanjaar op Saterdag die 23e Maart plaasvind. Die feesprogram sluit Sondag 24 Maart op ʼn hoogtepunt af met ʼn uitvoering van Amadeus Mozart se bekende oratorium, die Requiem in D mineur, K. 626 deur Ensemble Fons Partita en soliste van Sempre Opera, Deirdré Blignaut-Rautenbach (sopraan), Aukse Trinkunas (mezzo), Chris Mostert (tenoor) en Danie Verster (bariton). Die finale program met die naweek se konsertskedule en aanlynkaartjieverkope sal beskikbaar wees vanaf einde Februarie 2019 by www.wmfestival.co.za. Weens die fees se stygende populariteit moet feesgangers spring om so spoedig moontlik verblyf te bespreek. Besonderhede oor verblyf en oor die feesprogram is ook op die webblad beskikbaar. Enige navrae kan gerig word aan info@wmfestival.co.za.
Aantal woorde: 401
Uitgereik vir en namens: Wakkerstroom Musiekfees
Deur: Linette van der Merwe
Tel: 082 923 1540
E-pos: linette@wmfestival.co.za
Vir kommentaar of navrae kontak asseblief:
Tel: Linette van der Merwe
E-pos: linette@wmfestival.co.za
Webblad: www.wmfestival.co.za