News | 15.09.2018

Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica present “Con amore”

Maestro Kremer often surprises us with unusual and unique performances. On Sunday, September 16, Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica are going to present that kind of surprise – the newest project “CON AMORE” – created in collaboration with actors Catherine Germain & Julien Cottereau.

As Gidon Kremer says: “Since my childhood, I was a fan of circus as such. Not only because at that time virtuosos (magicians, jugglers, acrobats, musicians) fascinated my imagination. Partly it was thanks to clowns. They created a special atmosphere in which you could be lifted up from reality, laugh to tears at yourself. Clowns allowed everyone to feel “silly” and therefore underlined, that we all are very human. The recent cooperation with mimes and clowns of the worldwide known company of Slava Polunin allowed me and Kremerata Baltica to create together the very poetic Snow Symphony. This triggered my wish to do one more step in the same direction -somewhat a “chamber version” related to circus- a concert/show in which, without any special decorations, a wonderful couple of great French artists Julien Cottereau and Catherine Germain (known as Arletti) became our storytellers and soloists.”

“Con Amore” is an expression of tenderness. The world premiere of the show took place in open air concert in Italian Dolomites in July, 2018. A month later the show was presented in Sion Festival, Switzerland, during Kremerata Baltica residency there. Now we come to share this story with our audience at home – in Latvia.

In this performance the world of classical music meets the abstract world of clownery. The clowns become music interpreters and musicians become both actors and spectators. Kremer comments: “We did choose the music of various composers, be it classics, like Tchaikovsky and Schumann, or contemporaries, like Schnittke, Piazzolla, Chaplin etc, altogether. Music is meant to become the column (or the guide?) for this unexpected “fairy tale”, which should remind all of us, that the uneasy life we all live is still full of miracles, joy and love.”

The clowns run, laugh, dance, cry but they don’t disturb the music, they become it’s manifestation. According to Julien they “become a physical definition of music – a perfume for the hearts; a transcendence for the bodies; a lift for the soul and a sublime volatile hug for everyone. In CON AMORE we all become bridges for unity, beauty and peace.”

Join us on Sunday, September 16, in Dzintari Concert Hall for the concert “Wind of Kremerata” as the closing concert of the XV Kremerata Baltica festival. Let’s laugh, cry and live together!