Music, movement and magic

NOW IN its 19th year, Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music is once again bringing an eclectic collection of performances from classical ballets to Broadway Musicals to the Thailand Cultural Centre this September and October.
While dance is very much in the spotlight, music also plays a major role this year with symphony concerts by the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra (September 24) and the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra (October 14). 
One of the top five orchestras in China, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) developed from Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra. This highly regarded orchestra has collaborated with renowned musicians like Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Yo-yo Ma, and Boris Berman. 
Taking the stage with the orchestra in Bangkok is Lu Siqing, one of the most outstanding Chinese violinists today and the first Asian violinist to win the prestigious Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy in 1987. He has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and South Africa. Under the baton of conductor Muhai Tang the orchestra will tackle Bernstein’s “Overture to Candide”, He Zhanhao and Chen Gang’s “The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto” and Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9 in E minor”.
Rounding off the classical component is the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO). Founded in 1940 by composer, conductor and pianist Balys Dvarionas, the country’s leading orchestra has attracted world famous conductors and is currently led by Modestas Pitrenas, a favourite on the European and Japanese stage.
 Celebrated conductors like Kurt Masur, Cyril Diederich, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Christoph Eschenbach have also led the orchestra, which has shared the stage with leading performers like Jessye Norman, Sergejus Larinas, Daniel Pollack, Freddy Kempf, Leonid Kogan, and Yuri Bashmet. The evening’s programme starts with Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 in C sharp minor” followed by Grieg’s “Peer Gynt” (compiled from two suites) and ends with Brahms’ “Symphony No 4 in E minor, Op. 98”. 
Complementing the classics is Antonio Andrade Flamenco Company from Spain’s “Torera” (September 22) and “Carmen” (September 23), as well as the Broadway musical “West Side Story” (October 5 to 8). 

Straight from the heartland of flamenco in Andalusia comes the Antonio Andrade Flamenco Company. Led by choreographer Antonio Andrade, the company celebrates the art in its truest form. Praised for its deep Flamenco roots and identity, the company is also open to new trends and influences such as jazz, Arabic and Latin American music. In 2017, the company debuted its most ambitious show ever, “Torera”, at the Malaga Biennial Flamenco Festival in Spain. 
The Bangkok staging is the world premiere. “Torera” puts into focus the conflicting sides of human nature pulsating beneath the surface that peak when the characters in the dance are confronted by the contrasting masks of their own reflections. This is done through a woman expressing her inner turmoil, a chastised symbol of patriarchal civilisation, by dancer Ursula Moreno. She moves in perfect harmony with the most revered emblem of Andalusian heritage: the bull. This is a deeply moving and electric performance that employs every tool known to flamenco to bring this duality into the open.
The next performance takes us to the heartland of flamenco again with “Carmen”, the story of a woman who prefers death to living a lie or being denied freedom. Antonio Andrade adapts the classic themes of Carmen, performing them with the new flamenco spirit.
“My Carmen Flamenca takes the opera Carmen from the exile of a classic to the flamenco of its roots in both aspects of music and dance,” he explains. The company has performed its version of Carmen at many prestigious theatres around the world since its original debut in 1998 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (Germany).

 The popularity of the Broadway musical is unquestionable. With six stagings over four days, “West Side Story” from the USA is all set to conqueror hearts with its provocative finger snapping and whirling skirts. Leonard Bernstein’s unforgettable score, featuring songs such as “Maria”, “Tonight”, “Somewhere”, “America” and “I Feel Pretty”, will recreate the magic that has entranced millions across the world. The film version of the musical was awarded 10 Oscars. The genius of its four creators – Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim is distilled in this production in Bangkok – the only production in the world to feature Jerome Robbins’ original choreography. Unchallenged as the No 1 of American musical theatre, Joey McKneely’s award-winning staging of West Side Story, is stopping off in Bangkok as part of a world tour. 
Ensuring that the festival has something for everybody, the 19th edition features the illusionist Peter Marvey with his show WOW! World of Wonder (September 28 and 29), and the Flying Superkids from Denmark (September 19 and 20) with singers, dancers and award-winning acrobats.
Led by artistic director and choreographer Svend Godbersen, the Flying Superkids brings together talented singers, dancers, award-winning acrobats and gymnasts for a perfectly choreographed high-voltage performance. Founded by Uwe Godbersen in 1967, Flying Superkids have travelled around the world astonishing audiences with its high-octane performance.
Adding magic to the festival is a brand new production by illusionist Peter Marvey. Considered the best illusionist in the world, Marvey’s name is in that rare club which includes David Copperfield or Siegfried & Roy. Marvey only uses illusions he has created himself, and never repeats his illusions. 
Marvey has twice been awarded the Merlin Award by the International Magicians Society, as well as the “Golden Magic Wand”, presented to him by Prince Albert of Monaco for the best magic show at the 1996 Grand Prix of Monaco. He has performed his illusions in more than 30 countries on five continents including Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo and the Theatre Princess Grace in Monte Carlo. 

The festival is supported by the Crown Property Bureau, Bangkok Bank (PCL), Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (PCL), BMW Thailand, B Grimm Group, Dusit Thani Bangkok, Indorama Ventures, Ministry of Culture, Nation Group, PTT (PCL), Singha Corporation, Thai Airways International and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. 
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- Tickets are on sale at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3191.
- Find out more at www.BangkokFestivals.com.