With the announcement that Seiji Ozawa will begin conducting again this summer, following a period of recuperation from bronchitis and an eye operation last year, the particulars of the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto have now been released. The festival will be held August 17-September 12, 2006. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on May 20.

 Details: http://www.saito-kinen.com/ (English & Japanese)

 One highlight this year will be the highly dramatic oratorio by Mendelssohn, "Elijah," an almost operatic version of the Old Testament's books of Kings, presented under the masterful hand of Mr. Ozawa, with sets, costumes and lighting by the brilliant stage designer Jean Kalman. Delights are in store from Orchestra Concert A, as Alan Gilbert conducts Mahler's 5th Symphony, and from Orchestra Concert B, when Mr. Ozawa will conduct Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor"), with Mitsuko Uchida as soloist.

 Ms. Uchida will also perform a recital, as will the "Elijah" soloist, Jose van Dam, who will perform Schubert's "Winterreise" in full. In addition to Toru Takemitsu Memorial Concert XI, the tenth anniversary of the composer's death will be commemorated by performances of his works in both orchestral concerts and the recital of Mitsuko Uchida.

Orchestra Concert A
September 1 (Fri), 2006 19:00 Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan
Δ Toru Takemitsu: Requiem for Strings
Δ Anders Hillborg: Exquisite Corpse
Δ Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor
Orchestra: Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Alan Gilbert

Orchestra Concert B
September 9 (Sat), 2006 19:00 Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan
September 11 (Mon), 2006 19:00 Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan
September 12 (Tue), 2006 19:00 Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan
Δ Toru Takemitsu: Ceremonial, for solo sho
Δ Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, "Emperor", Op. 73
Δ Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47
Orchestra: Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Seiji Ozawa
Sho : Mayumi Miyata
Piano: Mitsuko Uchida

Mendelssohn: Oratorio, "Elijah"
August 27 (Sun), 2006 15:00 Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Main Hall
August 28 (Mon), 2006 18:30 Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Main Hall
September 2 (Sat), 2006 18:30 Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Main Hall
September 3 (Sun), 2006 15:00 Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Main Hall
Soprano: Sally Mathews
Contralto: Nathalie Stutzmann
Tenor: Anthony Dean Griffey
Bass-Baritone: Jose van Dam
Chorus: Tokyo Opera Singers
Orchestra: Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Seiji Ozawa
Stage design: Jean Kalman

Mitsuko Uchida Piano Recital
September 7 (Thu), 2006 19:00 Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Main Hall
Δ Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32, in C minor, Op. 111
Δ Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 15 in F major, K. 533/494
Δ Mozart: Adagio in B minor, K. 540
Δ Works by Toru Takemitsu

Jose van Dam, Bass-Baritone Recital
August 31 (Thu), 2006 19:00 The Harmony Hall
Δ Schubert: Song cycle, "Winterreise," D. 911
Piano: Maciej Pikulski

Toru Takemitsu Memorial Concert XI
August 30 (Wed), 2006 19:00 The Harmony Hall
Δ Toru Takemitsu: Folios
Δ Toru Takemitsu: In the Woods
Δ Jazz renditions of film music and song by Toru Takemitsu: "Youth of Japan," "A song of circles and triangles," "The fossil"
Guitar: Kiyoshi Shomura
           Daisuke Suzuki
Guitar-vocal: Brandon Ross
Bass: Tsutomu Takeishi
Flute: Kazuhiro Iwasa
Cello: Noboru Kamimura
Percussion: Satoshi Takeshima
Others: Saito Kinen Orchestra members

Chamber Concerts
August 17 (Thu), 2006 19:00 The Harmony Hall Chamber Concert I
August 20 (Sun), 2006 15:00 The Harmony Hall Chamber Concert II
September 5 (Tue), 2006 19:00 The Harmony Hall Chamber Concert III

String and Vocal Concerts by the Saito Kinen Chamber Music Study Group for Young People
August 22 (Tue), 2006 19:00 Agata no Mori Bunka Kaikan
August 23 (Wed), 2006 19:00 Agata no Mori Bunka Kaikan
August 24 (Thu), 2006 19:00 Agata no Mori Bunka Kaikan

classic NEWS:April 24, 2006

The above is a translation of a portion of an article that appeared on the Japanese-language "Classic News" website on April 24, 2006. It appears here with permission from Classic News.
classic NEWS
http://www.music.co.jp/classicnews/ (Japanese only)