Dubai, UAE
On Monday 13th February, the Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra return to the Coca-Cola Arena for their second performance at the 2023 InClassica International Music Festival. Led by Italian conductor Massimiliano Caldi, the ensemble begins with the famous ‘Overture’ from Mozart’s 1786 opera Le Nozze di Figaro. Based on a 1784 stage comedy of the same name, the opera is widely considered a masterpiece of the genre, and remains one of the most well known and frequently performed works in the repertoire, with its Overture in particular transcending the realm of opera to achieve global renown. The Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra then welcomes Latvian cellist Kristina Blaumane for Composer-in-Residence Alexey Shor’s much-loved Cello Concerto No. 2, which saw its world premiere taking place in May 2021, and since then has quickly become one of Shor’s most popular pieces for the instrument. After the interval, the orchestra will conclude with Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, the composer’s penultimate symphony, and the second of a set of three symphonies that the prolific maestro wrote in the summer of 1788. Easily the best-loved of all Mozart's symphonies, the work is an example of introspection mixed with high dramatic content, featuring emotional elements which anticipate and set the groundwork for the romantic era which was to follow.
Massimiliano Caldi (Milano 1967), graduated in piano, composition and orchestra conducting has a big international experience in the felds of symphonic music, opera, operetta and ballet as well as an attention on contemporary music and on the revival of the 19th century opera. he stands out for his high professional preparation and for his bright and linear directorial style.
Among the last commitments of the 2020/2021 season, the debut of Il Don Bucefalo at the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk, the recorded concert at the Teatro alla Scala with I Virtuosi del Teatro alla Scala, the Polish premiere of the cello concert of Castelnuovo-Tedesco with Silvia Chiesa and the inauguration of the 60th Łańcut International Festival. Moreover, during the summer 2021, in Italy he conducted the Roma 3 Orchestra in a tour and he also performed at the closing evening of the frst edition of the International Festival Accordi Musicali. In Poland, he performed at the Mozart Festival and at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw for the Polish Music Competition.
Winner of the frst prize at “G.Fitelberg” International Competition (1999), Caldi i s the Principal Conductor of the "A. Malawski" Precarpathian Philharmonic of Rzeszów. He had been President of the Jury of the International Piano Competition Massarosa - IX and X edition (2018 and 2019), teacher of the Florence Conducting Masterclass (2015-2017), Principal Conductor and Artistic Consultant of "St. Moniuszko" Koszalin Philharmonic(2014-2017), Artistic Director of Silesian Chamber Orchestra (Katowice, 2006-2010) and Principal Conductor of "Milano Classica" Chamber Orchestra (1998-2009).
In the last ten years he took tournées in Israel, Oman, U.S.A. , Chile, Brasil, Germany, Austria, Russia and Turkey.
During the 2018 year, in opera feld, he conducted the prologue from Mefstofele by Boito (Gdansk, June 2018) Cavalleria Rusticanaby Mascagni (Rzeszow June 2018) and Bastiano e Bastiana by Mozart (Oliwa August 2018).
In the recent past, he conducted Gluck's "Orphee et Euridice" and Puccini's "La Bohème" at Bologna Opera House (Italy), Verdi's "Nabucco" and Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" at Poznań Opera House (Poland) and he took part at three editions of "Festival della Valle d'Itria" of Martina Franca (Italy) with rediscovered italian masterpieces of the XIX century like Cagnoni's "Don Bucefalo" and "King Lear" and an unusual French version (1907) of R. Srauss' "Salome".
He took part in the past at "Festival Terre Verdiane" in Busseto (Italy) with "Rigoletto" and "La Traviata" and he conducted Verdi's "Il Trovatore" at Szeged Opera House, (Hungary) at the end of the Nineties.
He conducted Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" at Cicuito Lirico Lombardo (Italy) at Pavia, Cremona, Brescia and Como Opera Houses.
For the same cycle, he conducted Nino Rota's "I due timidi" and "La Notte di un nevrastenico" at Vittorio Veneto and Como Opera Houses (Italy). In Poland, at Cracow Polish Music Festival in 2011 he conducted Poniatowski's "Pierre De Medicis", a XIX century "grand opera", in the frst world performance, after rediscovering.
In symphonic feld he went back to St. Petersburg with the Philharmonic Orchestra in March 2020 and on the podium of Orchestra I Pomeriggi Musicali in July 2019. He conducted among the others Berliner Konzerthaus Kammerorchester, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Orchestra Sinfonica "Giuseppe Verdi", Orchestra dell'Arena di Verona, Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino, Orchestra del Teatro Massimo di Palermo.
In Poland he had been invited by International Festivals and he appears regularly on the podium of the most important Philharmonic and symphonic orchestras like, for example, Sinfonia Varsovia, Warsaw Polish Radio Symphonic Orchestra and the "Sinfonia Iuventus" Orchestra at the hall of the National Philharmonic in Warsaw and at Studio Lutoslawski S-1, the Szymanowski Philharmonic Orchestra of Krakow, the Beethoven Academy Orchestra of Krakow and the Philharmonics of Lodz, Bydgoszcz, Torun, Olsztyn... and many others.
Caldi has recorded for Acte Préalable, the CD Raul Koczalski - Piano concertos (January 2018) and for Sony Classical, the CD Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Gian Francesco Malipiero, Riccardo Malipiero Cello concertos (April 2018). Massimiliano Caldi is the only Italian who won the Gazzetta Italia Prize - 2018 edition for having distinguished in the promotion of Italian music in Poland and the Polish one in Italy.
In 2020, Maestro Caldi discussed his PhD thesis entitled "Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni: fdelity to the text or performance tradition?" At the Musical University "F. Chopin" in Warsaw, on which he has worked in the last 3 years, consulting among other things some manuscripts at the "S. Cecilia" Conservatory in Rome and at the Stanford University Music Library in California.
Latvian cellist Kristina Blaumane is invited to perform as a soloist with orchestras, recitalist and chamber musician around the world.
She has performed concertos with London Philharmonic Orchestra (under Vladimir Jurowski, Osmo Vänskä, Thierry Fischer, Michal Dworzynski), Amsterdam Sinfonietta (Lev Markiz, Peter Oundjian), Chicago Civic Orchestra (Andris Nelsons), MDR Symphony Orchestra (Kristjan Järvi), Kremerata Baltica, Britten Sinfonia, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Opera Orchestra, Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta Riga, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Sofia Soloists, Plovdiv Opera Orchestra, Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Ensemble Ubertini, Dalarna Sinfonietta and others.
Kristina is a keen chamber musician and has worked in partnership with such renowned artists as Isaac Stern, Gidon Kremer, Yo Yo Ma, Yuri Bashmet, Leiv Ove Andsnes, Maxim Rysanov, Boris Brovtsyn, Roman Mints, Janine Jansen, Michael Collins, Isabelle van Keulen, Julian Rachlin, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Bruno Giuranna, Misha Maisky, Nikolaj Znaider, Tatyana Grindenko, Alina Ibragimova, Katya Apekisheva, Jacob Katsnelson, Oleg Maisenberg among others, and has performed at the festivals such as Lockenhaus, Gstaad, Salzburg, Verbier, Basel, Jerusalem, Amsterdam Cello Biënnale, Utrecht, Spitalfields, Cheltenham, Aldeburgh and Homecoming.
Kristina is also a member of Trio Palladio. Their recent release of piano trios by Peteris Vasks on Ondine label received a great critical acclaim and was Gramophone Magazine Editor’s Choice.
Kristina has been an avid promoter of new music. She made a number of world premieres, among them cello concertos by Dobrinka Tabakova, Kristaps Pētersons, Pēteris Plakidis and Artem Vassiliev. Her recording of cello concerto by Dobrinka Tabakova which was released on ECM label reached number 2 in the UK classical charts and did receive a GRAMMY nomination. Besides this CD Kristina has recorded for Bis, ONYX, Harmonia Mundi, Quartz and BMG labels.
Born in Riga in the family of musicians, Kristina graduated from Latvian Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She is a winner of many awards including Latvian Philharmonic Young Musician of the Year, Latvian Television competition “Alternativa”, Carmel International Competition, Musicians Benevolent Fund and Lord Mayor’s Prize. Kristina is a two time laureate of Grand Music Award (Lielā Mūzikas Balva), the highest prize given by the Latvian State in the field of music (2005; 2007).
Since 2007 Kristina combines her busy career with a principal cello position in London Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra is the leading musical ensemble of the Republic of Kazakhstan, consisting of a highly professional roster of musicians, with a brilliant virtuoso technique, rich sound palette, and a dedication towards developing the best traditions of chamber music.
The orchestra, consisting of 90 talented musicians, performs works from different epochs and styles and is skilled in interpreting baroque, classical and contemporary music. Performances of national music, with orchestral arrangements of folk songs, as well as performances of works by contemporary Kazakh composers occupy a significant place in the group's work.
The orchestra successfully represents the musical art and performing traditions of Kazakhstan abroad and develops international cultural ties. The creative team has collaborated with world-famous performers from Russia, Austria, Israel, Germany, USA, Norway, Sweden, and many others.
The orchestra carries out special concert programs with the invitation of leading conductors. The recognition of the mastery of the Kazakh orchestra is evidenced by performances led by a variety of famous foreign conductors, including I. Suk, V. Chapek, E. Schmider, O. Schmidt-Gertenbach, J. von Bertoli, V. Fedoseev, K. Orbelyan, Rin Yong Yang, D. Bartolossi, G. Emilson, etc. With the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the orchestra has performed with great success in the best concert halls in Europe, Asia and America. The ensemble also takes part in many international classical music festivals.
The orchestra was established in 1991 on the initiative of the world famous violinist, People's Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Hero of Labor of Kazakhstan, professor, rector of the Kazakh National University of Arts, artistic director of the orchestra Aiman Musakhadzhayeva. The chief conductor of the orchestra is the Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, professor of KazNUA Bakhytzhan Musakhodzhaeva.
