Cairo Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Cairo Symphony Orchestra, , is an orchestra
based in Cairo
, Egypt
. It was founded in 1959 by its first music director and conductor, Franz Litschauer. Its current principal conductor is Marcello Mottadelli.
, succeeded Litschauer as conductors of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. Performing in the former Khedivial Opera House
, the orchestra gave symphonic concerts, and accompanied opera and ballet
performances including both local and foreign companies among which were the Bolshoi, the Kirov, and the Royal Ballet of London.
in 1990 and with Maestro Ahmed El Saedi as its music director and principal conductor, the orchestra has restricted its activities to symphonic concerts. This has enabled the orchestra to forge new horizons in both repertoire and number of concerts. Works by Bruckner, Mahler, Ravel, Debussy, Schoenberg, Bartok, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and others have become an integral part of the orchestra's repertoire.
Steven Lloyd
was the orchestra's music director and principal conductor from 2005-2007, whilst Marcello Mottadelli, the current incumbent of the post, was appointed in 2008. Since the integration of the A Cappella Choir into the Cairo Symphony Orchestra both have performed together major works for chorus and orchestra such as Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the “Missa Solemnis”, Mahler’s Second Symphony and Brahms' “A German Requiem”.
The Cairo Symphony Orchestra has played a crucial role in the development of Egyptian contemporary music
and in the inspiration of Egyptian musicians-soloists and conductors alike. Among the successful highlights organized and performed during the past seasons was the “Beethoven Festival’ celebrating the 175th anniversary of his death, the “Twentieth Century Music Festival,” and the “Arab Perspectives Festival.” The latter festival was founded by Ahmed El Saedi and first held in February 2002, and except for 2008 has been held each February since.
, Yehudi Menuhin
, Alexander Frey
, Patrick Fournillier
, Carlo Zecchi, Ottokar Truhlik, Ole Schmidt, Gennady Rozhdesivensky, Janos Kukla, Felix Carrasco
, and others have led the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. In April 2009, Israeli-Argentinean conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim
played Beethoven's piano sonata no.8 (known as "Sonata Pathétique"), and conducted the Cairo Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
.
Among the soloists who have performed with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra are Rudolf Buchbinder
, Joerg Demus, Mstislav Rostropovich
, Alexander Frey
, Viktoria Posinikova, Abdel Rahman El-Basha, Ramzy Yassa, André Navarra, Yekaterina Lebedeva, Stefan Vladar and Christian Alienburger. During the past several years the Cairo Symphony Orchestra has regularly toured many European countries and China with great success.
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
based in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. It was founded in 1959 by its first music director and conductor, Franz Litschauer. Its current principal conductor is Marcello Mottadelli.
History
The Orchestra was founded in 1959 under its first music director and conductor, Franz Litschauer, and from mid-1959 to 1960 it was conducted by the Yugoslavian Gika Zdravkovitch (Serbian: Живојин Здравковић, Živojin Zdravković). Two Egyptian conductors, Ahmed Ebeid and Youssef ElsisiYoussef Elsisi
Youssef Elsisi was an Egyptian conductor and music educator.-Biography:...
, succeeded Litschauer as conductors of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. Performing in the former Khedivial Opera House
Khedivial Opera House
The Khedivial Opera House or Royal Opera House was the original opera house in Cairo, Egypt. It was dedicated on November 1, 1869 and burned down on October 28, 1971....
, the orchestra gave symphonic concerts, and accompanied opera and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
performances including both local and foreign companies among which were the Bolshoi, the Kirov, and the Royal Ballet of London.
Recent development and works
Since the beginning of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra's residence at the new Cairo Opera HouseCairo Opera House
The Cairo Opera House , part of Cairo's National Cultural Center, is the main performing arts venue in the Egyptian capital. Home to most of Egypt's finest musical groups, it is located on the southern portion of Gezira Island in the Nile River, in the Zamalek district west of and near downtown...
in 1990 and with Maestro Ahmed El Saedi as its music director and principal conductor, the orchestra has restricted its activities to symphonic concerts. This has enabled the orchestra to forge new horizons in both repertoire and number of concerts. Works by Bruckner, Mahler, Ravel, Debussy, Schoenberg, Bartok, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and others have become an integral part of the orchestra's repertoire.
Steven Lloyd
Steven Lloyd
Steven Lloyd is an orchestra conductor.Lloyd studied at Birmingham Conservatoire with Andrew Mogrelia, and privately with Christopher Adey and Frank Shipway....
was the orchestra's music director and principal conductor from 2005-2007, whilst Marcello Mottadelli, the current incumbent of the post, was appointed in 2008. Since the integration of the A Cappella Choir into the Cairo Symphony Orchestra both have performed together major works for chorus and orchestra such as Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the “Missa Solemnis”, Mahler’s Second Symphony and Brahms' “A German Requiem”.
The Cairo Symphony Orchestra has played a crucial role in the development of Egyptian contemporary music
Contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to the period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. However, the term may also be employed in a broader sense to refer to all post-1945 modern musical forms.-Categorization:...
and in the inspiration of Egyptian musicians-soloists and conductors alike. Among the successful highlights organized and performed during the past seasons was the “Beethoven Festival’ celebrating the 175th anniversary of his death, the “Twentieth Century Music Festival,” and the “Arab Perspectives Festival.” The latter festival was founded by Ahmed El Saedi and first held in February 2002, and except for 2008 has been held each February since.
Guest conductors and soloists
Many international guest conductors such as Charles MünchCharles Münch
Charles Munch was an Alsatian symphonic conductor and violinist. Noted for his mastery of the French orchestral repertoire, he is best known as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.-Biography:...
, Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
, Alexander Frey
Alexander Frey
Alexander Frey is an American symphony orchestra conductor. He is also known as a virtuoso organist and pianist. Frey is in great demand as one of the world's most versatile conductors, and has enjoyed great success in the concert hall and opera house, and in the music of Broadway and Hollywood.In...
, Patrick Fournillier
Patrick Fournillier
Patrick Fournillier - the French conductor, was born December 26, 1954, in Neuilly-sur-Seine.He studied in Paris with Louis Fourestier and Pierre Dervaux, then in Strasbourg Conservatoire and Salzburg Mozarteum. Between 1983 and 1986 he was assistant conductor in l'Orchestre National de Lille, then...
, Carlo Zecchi, Ottokar Truhlik, Ole Schmidt, Gennady Rozhdesivensky, Janos Kukla, Felix Carrasco
Felix Carrasco
Félix Carrasco - Córdova is a Mexican-Austrian conductor. He has performed successfully near a hundred different orchestras around the world and has gained international recognition for his extraordinary performances. His style in conducting has impressed for sensitivity and accurate...
, and others have led the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. In April 2009, Israeli-Argentinean conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim, KBE is an Argentinian-Israeli pianist and conductor. He has served as music director of several major symphonic and operatic orchestras and made numerous recordings....
played Beethoven's piano sonata no.8 (known as "Sonata Pathétique"), and conducted the Cairo Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
.
Among the soloists who have performed with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra are Rudolf Buchbinder
Rudolf Buchbinder
Rudolf Buchbinder is an Austrian classical pianist.-Biography:Buchbinder studied with Bruno Seidlhofer at the Vienna Academy of Music. In 1965 he made a tour of North and South America. In 1966 he won a special prize awarded at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition...
, Joerg Demus, Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
, Alexander Frey
Alexander Frey
Alexander Frey is an American symphony orchestra conductor. He is also known as a virtuoso organist and pianist. Frey is in great demand as one of the world's most versatile conductors, and has enjoyed great success in the concert hall and opera house, and in the music of Broadway and Hollywood.In...
, Viktoria Posinikova, Abdel Rahman El-Basha, Ramzy Yassa, André Navarra, Yekaterina Lebedeva, Stefan Vladar and Christian Alienburger. During the past several years the Cairo Symphony Orchestra has regularly toured many European countries and China with great success.
See also
- Cairo Opera HouseCairo Opera HouseThe Cairo Opera House , part of Cairo's National Cultural Center, is the main performing arts venue in the Egyptian capital. Home to most of Egypt's finest musical groups, it is located on the southern portion of Gezira Island in the Nile River, in the Zamalek district west of and near downtown...
- Cairo ConservatoireCairo ConservatoireThe Cairo Conservatoire is the primary music conservatory in Egypt. It was established in 1959 and is located in the same building complex as the Cinema Institute and the Higher Institute for Theatrical Arts, Haram, Giza, Greater Cairo, while the Cairo Symphony Orchestra is based at Cairo Opera...
- El Sawy culturewheel CenterEl Sawy culturewheelEl Sawy culturewheel is an all-purpose, private cultural center, located on Gezira Island in the Zamalek district, central Cairo, Egypt. It is considered one of the most important cultural venues in Egypt...