The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present an array of programmes by highly acclaimed international musicians and ensembles in the Great Music 2018 concerts from April to June. Details are as follows:

Magdalena Kožená and Basel La Cetra Baroque Orchestra
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
April 11 (Wednesday), 8pm
Tickets: $200 to $420

     Magdalena Kožená, one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation and a two-time Gramophone Award winner, will join the Basel La Cetra Baroque Orchestra in a performance entitled "Con che soavia ccenti" under the baton of Andrea Marcon, to launch this year's Great Music series. The programme will include a wide repertoire of works by Uccellini, Merula, Castello and Marini, as well as solos by Monteverdi, Berio and Ivanović.

Paco Peña and Friends – Esencias
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
May 9 (Wednesday), 8pm
Tickets: $200 to $420

     The legendary flamenco guitarist Paco Peña will return for a not-to-be-missed recital with his friends. For this performance, entitled "Esencias", Peña will return to the fascinating period of his long career when the urgent challenge was to search for the essence of flamenco and develop a characteristic musical language infusing song, guitar performance, vocalisation and dance elements. It promises to be an unmissable concert showcasing Paco Peña's most distinguished talents.

Piano Recital by Dang Thai Son
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
May 26 (Saturday), 8pm
Tickets: $160 to $340

     Vietnamese pianist Dang Thai Son, winner of the Gold Medal at the 10th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland, and the first Asian pianist to win this prize, will stage a recital in Hong Kong featuring masterpieces by Schubert, Chopin, Paderewski and Liszt.

Ton Koopman and Amsterdam Baroque Choir
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
May 29 (Tuesday), 8pm
Tickets: $160 to $340

     Led by its founder and the world-renowned early music specialist Ton Koopman, the Amsterdam Baroque Choir will give its first Hong Kong concert featuring Bach motets including "Jesu, meine Freude". They will also join pianist Jane Xie in performing works by Brahms including 11 "Zigeunerlieder".

Artemis Quartet
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
June 7 (Thursday), 8pm
Tickets: $160 to $340

     Founded in 1989, the Artemis Quartet is counted among the foremost worldwide quartet formations today. The Berlin-based quartet will visit Hong Kong for a recital in June. Comprising Vineta Sareika (violin), Anthea Kreston (violin), Gregor Sigl (viola) and Eckart Runge (Cello), the quartet will perform Beethoven's "String Quartet No.3 in D", Janáček's "String Quartet No.1, 'Kreutzer Sonata'" and Schumann's "String Quartet No. 3 in A".
 
     Tickets for the above programmes are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_502.html.

Ends/Monday, March 5, 2018
Issued at HKT 11:01

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