Claudio
Abbado profoundly influenced the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, both musically and
on a personal level. Since 1997, when the MCO was founded, our culture of
listening to both fellow musicians and audiences
alike has allowed us to develop and cultivate our distinct sound. This culture
of listening, inspired by Claudio Abbado, we call The Sound of
Listening, and it continues to inform and guide our work today.
Claudio’s
confidence in the MCO and its members enabled us to create many captivating
moments together – moments that we continue to cherish. In 1998, he brought us
to Aix-en-Provence for the first time during a memorable summer of "Don
Giovanni," together with Daniel Harding, whose close relationship with the
MCO started that same year. Since then we have returned to Aix-en-Provence several
times for opera productions. In July 2023, George Benjamin’s latest opera, Picture a Day Like This, premiered there under the baton of the
composer himself, 25 years after our first residency.
Yuja Wang performing with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra under Claudio Abbado in 2009
On the 10th anniversary of his death, we honour Claudio Abbado by sharing the stage with celebrated pianist Yuja Wang, who, in 2010, made her first recording of Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto with the MCO under his direction.
“It’s an
honour to be the Artistic Partner of the ensemble that Claudio Abbado founded,
and it’s especially meaningful that I’m making music with them in Paris on the
10th anniversary of his passing. His greatness and generosity lives on, and I
look forward to continuing my relationship with the Mahler Chamber
Orchestra in his memory”, says Yuja Wang.
The MCO on stage with Yuja Wang in September 2021
Photo credits: A. Anceschi, G. Anderhub, G. Schied
COMMENTS