Classical Music and Train Holidays to Europe
For anyone taking train holidays to Europe during February and March there is a brilliant event that you must not miss – try to add a few days onto the end of your holidays to attend the Al-Bustan Festival. This classical music festival has been running since 1994 and this year is in its 18th season. The festival lasts for an entire month and brings together a vast a collection of world class performers from the classical music elite.
The Theme
This musical extravaganza usually centres around a theme. This year’s theme is ‘Along the Danube to the Black Sea’ and looks set to provide the audience with a range of fantastic musical events. If you are looking to go on train holidays to Europe, taking in the magnificence of The Danube is certainly an experience, but being able to listen to the music this famous river has inspired would be the proverbial icing on the cake.
The River
The river at the centre of this year’s festival originates in Germany, before merging into the Black Sea. Along the way it passes through Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade, to name but a few of the delightful cities touched by its gentle flow. Musicians and composers living near the river will have their work showcased during this special musical occasion. The festival will kick off on the 22nd February culminating on the 27th March with the performance of the Russian cellist Nina Kotova and the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, performing an orchestral arrangement of the four operas in Wagner’s epic “Ring” cycle – a rare occurrence in the classical world.
The Musicians
If you do decide to pop into the classical music festival while on your train holidays to Europe, then you can not only listen to the music but you will also be able to play a bit of celebrity spotting as well; it will be a who’s who of the classical world! This year performers such as the Sofia Soloists, award winning pianist Martina Filjak, and the Tblisi State Opera Symphony Orchestra will be performing. Trumpeting her way through greats as Bach, Schubert and Gershwin will be Alison Balsom, who won Best Young British Performer in 2006 and was the 2009 Female Artist of the Year at the Classical BRIT Awards.
You definitely don’t want to miss any of these exciting performances, so make sure you tack a few more days onto the end of your train holidays to Europe this year. Take the time to appreciate the beauty of the Danube through the eyes of the music world.
