Abu Dhabi Festival Celebrates 25 Years Of The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, At Rheingau Musik Festival
In celebration of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra’s 25th anniversary, Abu Dhabi Festival proudly supported the Daniel Barenboim Foundation to present a concert at the Rheingau Musik Festival, one of Europe’s most prestigious music events. The performance took place on August 13th, 2024, in the internationally renowned Friedrich-von-Thiersch Saal at the Kurhaus Wiesbaden, Germany. The evening featured world-renowned violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter with the acclaimed West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, conducted by the esteemed and visionary Daniel Barenboim.
The evening’s programme included Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77, and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in C Major, D 944. Anne-Sophie Mutter’s exceptional performance, paired with Daniel Barenboim’s masterful conducting, brought these classical masterpieces to life and left the audience in awe.
Founded in 1999 by Daniel Barenboim and Edward W. Said, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra promotes dialogue and understanding between cultures through the universal language of music. Based on this notion of equality, cooperation,and justice for all, the orchestra represents an alternative model to the current situation in the Middle East and has proven time and again that music can build bridges and break down barriers.
H.E Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of Abu Dhabi Festival states, “Earlier in 2024, Maestro Daniel Barenboim’s achievements were celebrated with an Abu Dhabi Festival Award, presented in association with Chopard. The award recognised Maestro Barenboim’s extraordinary journey and his relentless pursuit of using music as a powerful medium.”
She added: “Abu Dhabi Festival remains dedicated to enriching the cultural landscape through partnerships with leading international festivals and artists. This remarkable anniversary concert underscores the Festival’s steadfast commitment to art, music and culture as instruments of enlightenment, coexistence, and dialogue, and the collaboration with the Rheingau Musik Festival and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra marks another significant milestone in the ongoing mission to celebrate and support the arts on a global scale.”
This concert, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Festival, was part of an inspiring tour that has already seen the orchestra perform at prestigious venues, including Musikfest Bremen, Waldbühne Berlin, BBC Proms, and the Rheingau Musik Festival. Their journey continues with upcoming performances at the Salzburg Festival and the Lucerne Festival.
