The Moritzburg Festival for chamber music has come to a close, after a successful edition that saw 97% of tickets sold. In total, some 6,500 people attended concerts at the Dresden gathering.
The closing concert on 20 August took place at Moritzburg Church, and featured work by Mahler, Mozart and Mendelssohn’s String Octet Op 20.
Founded in 1993, this year marked the festival’s 25th edition. The silver anniversary was marked by appearances from acclaimed musicians including violinists Alexander Sitkovetsky, Baiba Skride and Mira Wang; pianists Louis Lortie and Lise de la Salle; as well as cellists Jan Vogler and Peter Bruns. Featured composers included Sven Helbig, who acted as Composer-in-Residence for 2017.
“The Moritzburg idea is alive and vital and radiates with force into the music world,” commented festival founder Vogler.
Moritzburg Festival concerts are spread across the city, with shows at the Carl Maria von Weber Music Academy and Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory. However, the most glamorous venue was Albrechtsberg Palace, which hosted a ‘Master Concerts’ series.
The festival, which ran from 5-20 August, also has a well-respected music academy. In 2017 the Moritzburg Festival Academy received 512 applications from young international musicians, and welcomed 50 players from 19 countries. Under the direction of Josep Caballé Domenech, the participants formed the Moritzburg Festival Orchestra, which performed at the opening concert.
