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OMF 2015 Press Release
Feb. 23, 2015
Aug. 9–Sep. 15, 2015
Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival The 2015 Season Line-Up
We are happy to announce the Line Up of the 1st Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival.

Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto (SKF), which since 1992 under the direction of world-renowned conductor Seiji Ozawa has been held every year in summer in Matsumoto, Japan, is this year coming out under a new name of Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival (OMF). The Saito Kinen Orchestra (SKO), which formed the basis of SKF, remains at the core of OMF, welcoming well-known classical music conductors, musicians and opera actors as always.

Following a high rating of Verdi: Falstaff Opera held at 2014SKF, Maestro Fabio Luisi the Principal Guest Conductor of Metropolitan Opera and Grammy Award Winner will be coming back this year to hold a concert conducting the Saito Kinen Orchestra. OMF will also welcome Robert Spano, Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, to conduct the Saito Kinen Orchestra together with OMF general director Seiji Ozawa. To mark the first edition of OMF, Seiji Ozawa will also conduct internationally seldom performed Berlioz:Béatrice et Bénédict, in over three performances.

This year again OMF will offer an exciting program of chamber concerts. The members of SKO will perform Schubert: Octet in F major D803 and hold a variety of brass ensembles. Roland Altmann, a longtime timpanist of Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, will be coming to Matsumoto for the first time, to perform Gerster: Capricetto for Timpani and Strings.

OMF will also have the popular educational programs that aim at bringing the classical music closer to the teenagers. It expects to welcome over more than 20,000 students from Nagano Prefecture. Under its program “The Concert for Children”, the sixth graders from elementary schools in the region will experience classical concert whereas under “The Opera for Young People” program, first year high-school students will be given an opportunity to experience the opera performance for the first time.

In its Special Program organized by Celebrating Seiji at 80!, the students of Seiji Ozawa International Academy Switzerland will visit Matsumoto for the first time to perform together with the students of Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy Okushiga. The festival will also be enriched by numerous cultural events and activities organized by the citizens of Matsumoto as a part of Matsumoto's exceptional hospitality and welcome.

OMF invites you to join us in Matsumoto to experience the magic of classical music at your fingertips. We look forward to seeing you.
Orchestra Concert
Photo of the orchestra concert.
© 2014 Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto
Program A
Date: Aug. 28 (Fri)   Time: 19:00
Place: Kissei Bunka Hall (Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan)
Haydn: Symphony No.82 in C major
Hob.I: 82 “L’Ours”
Mahler: Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Fabio Luisi
Program B
Date: Sep. 6 (Sun)   Time: 16:00
Place: Kissei Bunka Hall (Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan)
Bartók: Concert for Orchestra, Sz.116
Brahms: Symphony No.4 in E minor, op.98
Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductors:  Robert Spano (Bartók)
Seiji Ozawa (Brahms)
Profile photo of Fabio Luisi.
Fabio Luisi
© BALU Photography

Profile photo of Robert Spano.
Robert Spano
Profile photo of Seiji Ozawa.
Seiji Ozawa
© Shintaro Shiratori
Opera
Berlioz: Béatrice et Bénédict
Date:  Aug. 24 (Mon) / Aug. 27 (Thu)   Time 19:00
Aug. 29 (Sat)   Time: 16:00
Place: Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Main Theatre
Beatrice: Daniela Mack
Benedict: Jean-François Boras
Hero: Lydia Teuscher
Claudio: Edwin Crossley-Mercer
Don Pedro: Paul Gay
Somarone: Jean-Philippe Lafont
Ursule: Karen Cargill
Leonato: Christian Gonon
A Messenger / Notary: Vincent Jonquet
Chorus: Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Chorus
Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Seiji Ozawa
Director: Côme de Bellescize
Set Design: Sigolène de Chassy
Costume Design: Colombe Lauriot-Prévost
Lighting Design: Thomas Costerg
Video Images: Ishrann Silgidjian
Profile photo of Daniela Mack.
Daniela Mack
Profile photo of Jean-François Boras.
Jean-François Boras
Profile photo of Côme de Bellescize.
Côme de Bellescize
Profile photo of Seiji Ozawa.
Seiji Ozawa
© Shintaro Shiratori
Chamber Concert
Photo of Chamber Concert I.
© 2014 Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto
Chamber Concert I
Date: Aug. 23 (Sun)   Time: 16:00
Place: The Harmony Hall
Gerster: Capricetto for Timpani and Strings
Timpani: Roland Altmann, et al.

Schubert: Octet in F major D803
Violin: Kyoko Takezawa, Ribon Aida
Viola: Nobuko Imai
Cello: Rei Tsujimoto
Contrabass: Hiroshi Ikematsu
Clarinet: Charles Neidich
Basson: Marc Gordberg
Horn: Julia Pilant
Photo of Chamber Concert II.
© 2014 Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto
Chamber Concert II
Date: Aug. 30 (Sun)   Time: 16:00
Place: The Harmony Hall
Program: TBA
Cello: Iseut Chuat
Flute: Jacques Zoon
Harpist: Naoko Yoshino, et al.
Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
Richard Strauss: Feierlicher Einzug der Ritter des Johanniter-Ordens
John Williams —Special selection—
inc. other brass ensembles of the Saito Kinen Orchestra
Horn: Radek Baborák
Trumpet: Gábor Tarkövi
Trombone: Walter Vogimayr
Tube: Yasuhito Sugiyama, et al.
 
Matthias Goerne Recital
Date: Sep. 2 (Wed)   Time: 19:00
Place: The Harmony Hall
Bariton: Matthias Goerne
Special Program
Seiji Ozawa International Academy Switzerland joins
Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy Okushiga
Date: Aug. 31 (Mon)   Time: 19:00
Place: The Harmony Hall
Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy Okushiga &
Seiji Ozawa International Academy Switzerland Joint Concert
Commentary: Seiji Ozawa, Sadao Harada, Blanche d'Harcourt
Photo of Marcus Roberts Trio Concert.
© 2014 Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto
Marcus Roberts Trio Concert
Date: Sep. 3 (Thu)   Time: 19:00
Place: Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Main Hall
Marcus Roberts Trio
Piano: Marcus Roberts
Bass: Rodney Jordan
Drums: Jason Marsalis
Celebrating Seiji at 80!
Date: Sep. 1   Time: TBA
Place: Kissei Bunka Hall (Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan)
Special concert celebrating Seiji Ozawa’s 80th Birthday is scheduled for Sep. 1, 2015.
The details will be announced in due time.
*Special Program
  Organized by: Celebrating Seiji at 80!
  Managed by: Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Executive Committee
Study Group Brass Ensemble
Date: Aug. 9 (Sun)   Time: 16:00
Place: Agata no Mori Bunka Kaikan
The young brass performers, tutored by the members of Saito Kinen Orchestra, will present the results of their study.
Press Inquires
We are currently accepting the press and media requests for 2015OMF coverage.
Certain dress rehearsals and related events held prior to the official performances will be open to the press. For further details and press bookings, please contact us at: pr@ozawa-festival.com
Ticket Sales
Tickets go on sale Jun. 6, 2015 (Sat)
*Please note tickets are sold only in Japan.
Contact Details:
3-18-13 Ote Matsumoto-shi Nagano
390-0874 JAPAN
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Organized by: Saito Kinen Foundation / Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Executive Committee
(As of Apr. 1, 2015)
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