Ian Page and The Mozartists have announced their plans to return to the concert stage in 2021, having not performed live since the outbreak of COVID-19. Across three concerts, all at Cadogan Hall, the ensemble will collaborate with soloists Kitty Whately, Ronald Brautigam and Kiandra Howarth. The Mozartists are working with Cadogan Hall to create a safe concert environment and all three concerts will run straight through without an interval. Streaming and broadcasting opportunities are being considered and more details will be shared on The Mozartists’ website in due course.
Ian Page writes: “It’s a tremendous joy and relief to be planning and preparing for concerts again. Our MOZART 250 project is a continuously evolving journey, so we’re thankful to be returning with two concerts exploring the music being composed by Mozart and his contemporaries in 1771, and I’m delighted to be working again with two wonderful singers, Kitty Whately and Kiandra Howarth. I’m also very excited to be collaborating with the remarkable Dutch fortepianist Ronald Brautigam for the first time, having had to cancel our planned concert together last April. More than anything, though, I’m thrilled at the prospect of sharing live music-making with an audience once again.”
The Mozartists celebrate Mozart’s birthday with their first concert of the year on 27 January, when they will be joined by mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately. Entering the seventh year of their ambitious and visionary MOZART 250 series, which explores the life, works and influences of Mozart 250 years on, Ian Page and The Mozartists present their annual retrospective concert, this year performing works from 1771. The programme features works by 15-year-old Mozart, as well as Mysliveček, Boccherini and Salieri, culminating in Haydn’s ‘Trauer’ symphony.
Page and The Mozartists return to Cadogan Hall in March for an all-Mozart concert of minor-key masterpieces written between 1786 and 1788. The composer’s Adagio & Fugue in C minor opens the programme, followed by his Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, which sees the ensemble join forces with celebrated Dutch fortepianist Ronald Brautigam. The programme ends with Mozart’s 40th Symphony, one of the composer’s most dynamic and best loved works.
In May the ensemble take to the stage with Australian soprano Kiandra Howarth, one of The Mozartists’ Associate Artists, to provide a fascinating overview of Mozart’s life in 1771. In addition to Mozart symphonies and arias written during the course of the year, the programme also features highlights from operas by Paisiello and Hasse that Mozart would have heard during his travels in Italy.
In the summer of 2020 The Mozartists launched an innovative ‘Pay it Forward’ appeal to generate funds for their freelance artists, who were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The appeal successfully raised advance fees for artists, which allowed The Mozartists to pay them in advance for future performance and recording projects.
Debbie Coates, Chief Executive of The Mozartists, said “Our ‘Pay it Forward’ appeal is an attempt to provide a much-needed stream of income for our musicians during these difficult times. It feels particularly important to reach out and support the world-class individuals whose skill, artistry and commitment are the lifeblood of our cultural infrastructure.”
In addition to their ‘Pay it Forward’ appeal, The Mozartists also initiated a collaboration with Exit Live where they are releasing downloads of past concerts for audiences to purchase. The proceeds from each recording are being shared directly and equally among every performer who took part in the performance, again offering additional income for freelance musicians.
27 January 2021, Cadogan Hall, 7:30pm
1771 – A RETROSPECTIVE
Mozart Symphony [No. 42] in F, K.75
Mysliveček Aria, “Non so se il mio peccato” from Adamo ed Eva
Boccherini Minuet from String Quintet in E major, G.275
Salieri “E non degg’io seguirla… “Lungi da te” from Armida
Haydn Symphony No. 44 in E minor, ‘Trauer’
22 March 2021, Cadogan Hall, 8pm
RONALD BRAUTIGAM PLAYS MOZART
Mozart Adagio & Fugue in C minor, K.546
Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K.491
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K.550
11 May 2021, Cadogan Hall, 8pm
MOZART’S 1771
Mozart Symphony No. 12 in G, K.110/75b
Mozart Concert aria, “Non curo l’affetto”, K.74b
Paisiello Aria, “Onde amiche… Smarrita, tremante” from Annibale in Torino
Mozart Symphony No. 13 in F, K.112
Hasse Aria,“Non esser troppo altero” from Il Ruggiero
Mozart Aria, “L’ombra de’ rami tuoi” from Ascanio in Alba, K.111
Mozart Symphony No. 14 in A, K.114
Above: Kiandra Howarth © Ben Ealovega