MANILA – Experience a concert with a twist.
This September 26, the Goethe-Institut is treating everyone not just to a free concert, but also daring all by adding an interesting variation: By their invitation, renowned German violinist and chamber musician Mirijam Contzen is dropping by Manila to perform classical pieces in complete darkness.
Dubbed as “Concert in the Dark”, this one-time event will take place at the historic Fort Santiago Teatro in Intramuros, Manila. The show starts at 7:30 PM.
Aside from “witnessing” the performance bereft of vision, concert-goers will also experience being led by the blind – literally. Courtesy of the non-government organization Resources for the Blind, a troupe of blind ushers and usherettes will lead audience members inside the dark chamber to their seats.
Concert in the Dark is the first of a series of musical events that the Goethe-Institut in Southeast Asia is starting this year. The series is called “Listen differently” (or Anders hören in German) and aims to expose people to unconventional ways of experiencing music. Contzen is touring the region with her 1733 Carlo Bergonzi violin and are making stops in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Hanoi and Yangon.
Mirijam Contzen began her career as a child prodigy and has since established herself as a multifaceted artist whose versatility and curiosity express themselves in her concerto work and commitment to chamber music. She is the founder of the chamber music festival Schloss Cappenberg and is a frequent guest at festivals around the globe including the Salzburg Festival, the Rheingau Music Festival, the Athens Festival, the Pianofestival Ruhr (with pianist Adrian Brendel), the Taipei Festival and the Verbier Festival.
Admission to the concert is free and open to all on a first-come-first-served basis. For inquiries, please visit the Goethe-Institut website: www.goethe.de/manila or send an e-mail to program@manila.goethe.org. For more on Mirijam Contzen, check out her website: mirijamcontzen.com (Eagle News Service/Goethe-Institut Manila)