Other great festivals
Beethoven Festival Bonn
13 March – 27 September
The City of Beethoven’s birth squeezes two festivals into an extended celebration, and heads to Cologne for the Missa Solemnis. Tel: +49 (0)228 5020 1313
Web: www.beethovenfest.de
Festival de Saint-denis 2 June – 6 July Paris’s northern commune enjoys orchestral concerts in the Basilica and chamber music in Légion d’honneur’s pavilion.
Tel: +33 (0)14813 0607
Web: www.festival-saint-denis.com Istanbul Music Festival 2-25 June
There’s Eastern promise aplenty with the Borodin Quartet’s Shostakovich and Turgay Erdener’s ‘alla turca’ tribute to Beethoven. Tel: +90 (0)216 556 9800
Web: www.muzik.iksv.org
Holland Festival 4-28 June
Identity and connection preoccupy a lively festival that includes the premiere of Louis Andriessen’s homage to Frans Brüggen.
Tel: +31 (0)20 523 7787
Web: www.hollandfestival.nl
Granada Festival 25 June –12 July Late-night Flamenco crowns ‘tales from the Alhambra’ and Beethoven is celebrated across all genres including dance.
Tel: +34 958 221 844
Web: www.granadafestival.org
West Cork Chamber Music Festival
26 June – 5 July
Cork splits 250th-birthday celebrations between Beethoven and his good friend Reicha. Composers-in-residence include Brett Dean and Pe¯teris Vasks.
Tel: +353 (0)27 52788
Web: www.westcorkmusic.ie
Riga-jurmala Festival 10 July – 30 August Pianist Maria João Pires and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra are among artists enlivening a Latvian summer.
Tel: + 371 (0)27 770 010
Web: www.riga-jurmala.com