Israel Philharmonic Orchestra opens season on Sunday
“This is a moment we have been planning for many months,” says Avi Shoshani, the orchestra’s director general.
By SARAH HERSHENSONGuy BRAUNSTEIN(photo credit: BOAZ ARAD)
As the prestigious cultural venues in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem gradually open their doors after an eight-month hiatus, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra will begin its 2020-21 season next week in front of live audiences, albeit with the necessary precautions.“This is a moment we have been planning for many months,” says Avi Shoshani, the orchestra’s director general. “We are excited and happy our devoted and enthusiastic audiences will be able to join us in performances of Mozart and Beethoven under the Purple Badge, the strictest standards of Ministry of Health guidelines, to protect audience health as well as the health of orchestra members.”On September 6, the IPO will split into two capsules and open two different program series at 8 p.m.: the first series at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv, and the second at Jerusalem’s Binyenei Ha’uma. Both programs will be repeated over the week in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with additional performances at the Haifa Auditorium.Noted violinist and conductor Guy Braunstein will open the first IPO series in Tel Aviv with Symphony no. 33 by Mozart and Beethoven’s violin concerto, in which Braunstein will also be soloist. Braunstein was for 13 years the first concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker. During the last 10 years, he has expanded his career into the area of conducting, appearing on the podium with many celebrated international ensembles.In Jerusalem, also on September 6, Ariel Zuckerman, who currently is the principal conductor and music director of the Israel Chamber Orchestra, will open the second IPO concert series with an all-Beethoven program: the Leonora Overture, number 3, and Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5 (“The Emperor”) with internationally acclaimed solo pianist Ishai Shaer. The performances in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will be given before audiences limited to 1,000 individuals, and a 600-member audience at the Haifa Auditorium.Seating in the halls will be open to individuals, couples or a group belonging to the same household. Between each individual, couple or group, one empty seat will be maintained. Entrance to the cultural halls will be on condition of undergoing a fever screening, maintaining social distance and wearing masks.“We have been awaiting this moment to open our ‘‘20-21 season,” says Shoshani, “and remain with the hope that the closure of cultural halls and performances due to the coronavirus will not be repeated and keep us apart from our audiences for such a long period of time.”For further information: www.ipo.co.il
