If you’re lucky enough to be in Switzerland you should make every effort to catch some of the Zurich Festival which runs until 8th July 2012.
In 1996 the Zurich Festival Foundation was established as a way of promoting and encouraging the creative arts of the city, its surrounding areas and latterly of Switzerland as a whole.
The city’s most prestigious institutions such as Opera House, Schauspielhaus, Tonhalle Orchestra and Kunsthaus, and major contributions from the Neumarkt and Rigiblick theatres form the backbone of the festival’s programme.
There is a massive focus on opera and classical music, as well as Each year the Zurich Festival Prize is awarded to an individual who has contributed exceptionally to the cultural development of Zurich. Last year the prize worth more than €40,000 was awarded to Finnish opera singer Matti Salminen.
As well as several free open air concerts, the Institute of Musicology and the University of Zurich will host lectures and discussions by some of the most renowned scholars.
More than 80,000 people from all over the world attended more than 80 events at the 2011 festival, so what’s on this year to draw the international crowds? You can read the full programme here, but I’ve picked out a few not-to-be missed highlights.
Opera
"Otello"
Taken from Shakespeare’s original play the highly emotional work by Verdi takes you through the tumultuous life and climactic death of the play’s namesake Othello. Fans of the English bard’s work will be doubtless enthralled and delighted by the power of the music as it conveys the tragic story.
Dance
"For Rent"
Based on the moment your imagination wanders in to a parallel universe at a moment of boredom, it’s a journey of hopes, dreams, and nightmares resting on the knife edge between fantasy and the disappointment of reality.
The performance by Belgian Dance troup, Peeping Tom promises to deliver spectacular dances to illustrate the transience of our everyday lives and how quickly life can go form something safe into a freefall of loss.
Concert
"Zurich Chamber Orchestra"
Classical aficionados have a real treat when the world famous orchestra perform works by Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto D major for String Orchestra, “Basel Concerto”; and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto bo.27 in B flat. Two fantastic pieces of music that shouldn’t be missed.
Theatre
"Glaub Liebe Hoffnung"
Written during the financial crisis of the 1930s, elements of this tale, will ring true even today.
Based on a young woman who suffers immensely as a result of falling through the cracks of social deprivations she struggles to find or maintain employment, has brief and tragic dalliances into love, and finally decides to sell her future corpse for medical research.It’s a bleak tale that will speak to audiences on many levels.
If last year’s festival is anything to go by then 2012 will be as popular as ever. It will be a busy city with tens of thousands of visitors and finding somewhere shouldn’t be problem.
An option would be to stay at an airport hotel in Zurich which has the advantage of keeping you out of the bustle of the city center but you’ll only be a 15 minute drive from the key festival venues.
Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of topics. This article links back to http://www.parkinn.com/airporthotel-zurich
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