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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department's "Our Music Talents" series will present "Concert by Mary Wu & Friends" as a tribute to Liszt and Mahler in their anniversary years.
Famous Hong Kong pianist Mary Wu has brought together her friends, including Hong Kong violinist Ho Hong-ying as well as two remarkable soloists from abroad, viola player Sophie Renshaw from the United Kingdom and cellist Wolfgang Nüsslein from Germany, to give the specially conceived concert.
In addition to performing Mahler's rarely heard chamber work, his "Piano Quartet", which was written in 1876 when the composer was a student, these friends will play a transcription by the French composer Saint-Saëns of Liszt's symphonic poem "Orpheus", a work inspired by the legendary Greek musician who, through the power of his music, charmed his way into the Underworld in an attempt to bring back to life his beloved Eurydice. Liszt's original orchestral work reflects the influence of the opera by Gluck and a vase painting in the Louvre in Paris. The programme also features Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody, Carnival in Pest", a piece drawing on the musical traditions of Liszt's birthplace Hungary, where he became a national hero.
Pianist Mary Wu was hailed by Ravel's long-time pupil Vlado Perlemuter as "one of the most gifted pianists of her generation". Ravel's music occupies a special place in Wu's musical thinking. The late Yehudi Menuhin, who performed with Wu in Europe, also praised the "captivating poetic quality in her playing". Similarly, she has been praised by many critics as a "world class pianist". Wu, a Mozart enthusiast, was the winner of the Mozart Bicentenary Piano Competition of Asia.
Ho Hong-ying began to study the violin when she was very young. She has won numerous awards in the Mainland and overseas. Ho is an active chamber musician who has been a member of the Manhattan String Trio, the Manhattan Piano Trio and, since 1995, the Bauhinia Piano Trio, and has been the Concertmaster of Hong Kong City Chamber Orchestra. She is currently teaching at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
Sophie Renshaw now freelances as a chamber musician. She performs regularly with Ensemble Modern, the London Sinfonietta and the Composers Ensemble and has received high acclaim.
Wolfgang Nüsslein is a founder member of the Manhattan String Trio. He has given concerts with the trio and other groups in many countries all over the world. He has appeared as a soloist for concertos by Elgar, Stamitz and Tchaikovsky, and has given several recitals in Germany, London and Hong Kong. Since 1991, Nüsslein has been working as a teacher at different institutions, teaching courses on chamber music and cello in Germany (Academy for Music Kassel), Chile and Hong Kong (Hong Kong Baptist University).
"Concert by Mary Wu & Friends" will be staged at 8pm on December 2 (Friday) at the Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $150 and $100 are now available at all URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by telephone credit card booking. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for full-time students and CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis). A special booking discount scheme is available for the "Our Music Talents" series. Any purchase of tickets for both "Concert by Mary Wu & Friends" and "Concert by Opus One Piano Trio" is entitled to a 10 per cent discount. Please refer to programme leaflets for details.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321, or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/000002b2.html. For ticketing enquiries, please call 2734 9009. For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For Internet bookings, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:30
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