MUSIQUES EN ÉTÉ – SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE PARK
Main image: copyright Ville de Geneve
The city of Geneva puts on an amazing range of free concerts in the Parc la Grange in Eaux-Vives every summer and this year is no exception. These concerts feature well-known musicians and groups from around the world representing different types of music.
Here are some of this year’s highlights.
BOREALIS – SIMULATING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Photo credit: © Sebastien Puiatti
OPENING NIGHT: Friday 5th of July
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande & Borealis
The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande combines with Borealis, an installation by Dan Acher that recreates the colours and visual effects of an aurora borealis in the sky, for an extraordinary experience. To accompany this, a selection of heavenly, mesmerising and meditative musical works, such as Olivier Messiaen’s L’Ascension, John Adams’ Common Tones in Simple Time or Richard Wagner’s prelude to Lohengrin? A few pages written by James Horner for the film Aliens and its sequels will add the few thrills, without which this artistic and cosmic exploration would be incomplete!
FREE ENTRY
www.osr.ch
dan-acher.com/portfolio/borealis
WHERE
Scène Ella Fitzgerald
WHEN
Friday, 5 July 22h
JUAN PIÑA – Cumbia, Vallenato
On the Caribbean coast of Colombia, the city of Barranquilla hosts the third largest carnival in the world. Every year, the Congo d’Oro is awarded to the best artist. Over the course of his 50-year career, Juan Piña has won it 12 times. With his Afro-Colombian music, he has been rewarded for his cumbia and vallenato performances and recognised by UNESCO as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
At Parc La Grange, Juan Piña will be backed by Colombian musicians from the diaspora, who also work to preserve their Afro-Colombian traditions and popular festivals.
FREE ENTRY
WHERE
Scène Ella Fitzgerald
WHEN
Wednesday, 17 July
20h30
KEB’ MO’ – Blues
Keb’ Mo’ has received eleven nominations and four Grammy Awards for his work. He has composed for country band Dixie Chicks, performed at the White House for the Obama family and recorded an album with the legendary Taj Mahal.
On the Ella Fitzgerald stage, he will perform with the bare minimum – alone with his guitar.
FREE ENTRY
WHERE
Scène Ella Fitzgerald
WHEN
Friday, 19 July
20h30
LINIKER E OS CARAMELOWS – Soul
In the tropical heat of São Paulo, soul and Brazilian pop music come together. Liniker’s voice is striking for her timbre and the almost unlimited freedom of tone. Through her music, Liniker’s personality appears with all its glittery facets – a festive performance!
FREE ENTRY
WHERE
Scène Ella Fitzgerald
WHEN
Wednesday, 24 July
20h30
DELLA MAE – Bluegrass
Celia Woodsmith vocals, guitar
Kimber Ludiker fiddle
Jenni Lyn Gardner mandolin
Zoe Guigueno bass
When violinist Kimber Ludiker founded Della Mae in 2009, her idea was simple: to bring together a group of women who play fast bluegrass music and showcase their instrumental virtuosity. Since then, Della Mae has been flexing its collective muscles on a booming new bluegrass scene!
Della Mae’s concert is presented in association with La Roche Bluegrass Festival – Europe’s largest bluegrass festival.
FREE ENTRY
WHERE
Scène Ella Fitzgerald
WHEN
Wednesday, 31 July
20h30
ANA MOURA – Fado
Ana Moura, one of the headliners in this year’s programme, is the most international fadista. Her soul timbre and pop covers have brought a new audience to this ancient tradition. Desfado, the highest-selling record in the last ten years in Portugal, is a modern classic. Like a super moon, Parc La Grange will never have been so close to Lisbon’s Alfama district as on this night of 14 August.
FREE ENTRY
WHERE
Scène Ella Fitzgerald
WHEN
Wednesday, 14 August
20h30
NATIRUTS – Reggae
With their first record in 1998, Natiruts were an instant, resounding success. The band’s original sound – Jamaican reggae mixed with elements of Brazilian pop music – marked a generation and continues to wash over Brazilian beaches. Natiruts waited until 2018 for a tour of Europe’s capital cities, which was sold out. Their concert at Parc La Grange will be their very first in Switzerland and will undoubtedly feature among the great Brazilian nights at Musiques en été!
FREE ENTRY
WHERE
Scène Ella Fitzgerald
WHEN
Wednesday, 21 August
20h30
SUMMER CONCERTS ELSEWHERE
NORDIC JAZZ – Bobo Stenson piano
Bobo Stenson piano
Anders Jormin contrebasse
Jon Fält batterie
Bobo Stenson is part of the golden generation of Scandinavian musicians who helped create the identity of European jazz. A privileged accompanist to Don Cheery, Charles Lloyd and Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson has been leading his own trio for more than 30 years. His many records on the prestigious ECM label are evidence that this is one of the most wonderful piano-bass-drums trios in the world!
WHERE
Alhambra
WHEN
Monday, 8 July 20h30
Full price: CHF 40.- / 30.-
Reduced price: CHF 30.- / 15.- / 10.-
Tickets
Opéra de Chambre de Genève – Così fan tutte
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Livret de Lorenzo Da Ponte (Bärenreiter-Verlag)
Fiordiligi Laura Andres
Dorabella Mashal Arman
Despina Marion Grange
Ferrando Gustavo Quaresma
Guglielmo Michele Soldo
Don Alfonso Matteo Loi
L’Orchestre de Chambre de Genève
Così fan tutte is a masterpiece that combines Mozart’s splendid music with Da Ponte’s dramatic genius. The new production by the Geneva Chamber Orchestra unfolds in a late-19th century Neapolitan theatre, a place as mysterious and fluctuating as feelings of love. Are Dorabella and Fiordiligi in love or do they think they are in love? Do they or don’t they recognise their masked lovers? What is real and what do they want to believe is real? Don Alfonso is the leader in a form of theatre that is a school for all since love, desire and lies belong to everyone. It is theatre that teaches us that life is more complicated than appearances. There is no moral judgement, just emancipation, a liberation of the roles established by culture and society which will make the four lovers more aware and happier, or will it?
WHERE
Alhambra
WHEN
Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10, Friday 12 & Saturday 13 July at
20h
Full price CHF 40.- / 30.-
Reduced price CHF 30.- / 15.- / 10.-