2023-07-18 20:00:08
Pianist Alexandra Dovgan, at the Verbier Festival on July 15. EVGENII EVTIUKHOV
A flattering astonishment greeted the long, tight-fitting bright yellow dress of Yuja Wang, an artist whom Valais listeners have known since 2016 for her minimalist, shiny and sexy – never vulgar – outfits. Just like the playing of the Chinese pianist, who opens the 30th edition of the Verbier Festival on July 14 with the Third Piano Concerto, by Rachmaninoff, and will perform chamber music during the event which runs until July 30. Panache, virtuosity, elegiac ardor, the young woman will end up imposing her more cheerful tempo on the young musicians of the Verbier Festival Orchestra, under the baton of veteran Zubin Mehta, who conducted the first concert twenty-nine years ago.
The Salle des Combins is full (1,419 seats), and it is not raining. A tradition that is being lost, no doubt under the effect of climate change, which cannot undermine the determination born three decades ago in the spirit of Martin Engstroem, founder and artistic director of the event, as he passed family summer holidays in what was then only a small mountain resort in the town of Val-de-Bagnes.
Read also the report of 2017: Article reserved for our subscribers In Verbier, it is also raining stars
The Swede, former Parisian artist agent, for six years at the head of the Deutsche Grammophon label, where he signed among others Anna Netrebko, Lang Lang and Hélène Grimaud, celebrates his 70th birthday in a few days (he was born on July 22 1953). We measure the path taken. Having set out to conquer Europe in the footsteps of its American models from Aspen (Colorado) or Tanglewood (Lenox, Massachusetts), the Verbier Festival now has an international presence. This is evidenced by the forty nationalities of the 223 young musicians (average age 23) handpicked, who follow the five academies (105 master classes) given every morning and form the two youth orchestras, including one of juniors ( average age 15 and a half). To which are added this year the 130 Chinese of the Guangzhou Symphonic Youth Orchestra.
Brass facing the sun
The next day began before dawn: a “musical sunrise” is scheduled for 4:15 a.m. at the top of Mount Fort, 3,300 meters above sea level, as part of the UNLTD “off” program ( Unlimited), concocted by Stephen McHolm. A few kilometers of track in the middle of the mountain pastures: the night is still dark when we arrive at the Ruinettes gondola. In the sky, the sickle moon and its strewn with stars. On earth, the invisible gamelan of cowbells. Since May, the powerful and black Hérens, a breed originating from Valais, have fought head-on battles which designate their queens before the inalpage, reaching the high pastures which make the AOP raw milk raclette famous.
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