Malvern Theatres January 6, 2024

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Viennese New Year Concert

A very good attendance marked the start of today’s concert and the audience warmly applauded the City of Birmingham’s Symphony Orchestra for this annual “Viennese Favourites” Concert.

Guest Conductor Christoph Konez musical director of the Mulhouse Symphony orchestra was given a warm Malvern welcome as he approached the rostrum, but announced the fact that guest Soloist Francesca Chiejina had been taken ill the previous day and could not attend. He then went on to say that a previous favourite of this event Jennifer France, had agreed to step in at the last minute.

Jennifer a very accomplished soprano is booked to appear at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Royal Albert Hall during this year, proved to be a tremendous replacement.

She sang the Lehar “Giuditta Mein Lippen” and the Puccini “Gianni Schicchi, O Mio Babbino Caro" with wonderful skill and apparent ease to tremendous applause by an appreciating audience.

Vienna born Christoph Konez appeared to have a very responsive rapport with members of the Orchestra as he pleasantly moved us expertly through the great works of the Strauss’s to end the first half of the concert with Smetana’s Bartered Bride overture.

This first half was given massive applause by the audience who eagerly awaited the second half.

The second half started with the Beethoven Symphony number 9 the scherzo written almost to the day 200 years ago, this was followed by Jennifer France’s wonderful singing in English of Lehar’s Vilja song.

The concert was brought to it’s end with Strauss the Second’s “on the beautiful blue Danube".

The audience metaphorically brought the house down with their applause, and the conductor left and reappeared on the stage three times. The audience however won!

The Orchestra giving what they wanted the playing of the concert’s traditional ending Johann Strauss Seniors “Radetzky March”.

A truly wonderful evening my congratulations to all concerned at Malvern Theatres for a tremendous concert.

We shall next see the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, on February 23, when Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Elgar’s Enigma variations will be performed. Then the BBC Philharmonic visit on the March 15, with Hayden’s Symphony 53, Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Beethoven’s 4th Symphony.

Other concerts at the theatre are the ESO’s Beyond the Horizon on January 19, Malvern concert clubs Far flung Trio on January 28 and the Armonico consort on February 3.