The Verbier Festival, which begins on Friday, July 16, with two concerts conducted by Valery Gergiev, suffered an outbreak of Covid in the Festival Academy Orchestra which comprises scholarship musicians between 18 and 28 years old, i.e. mostly not vaccinated young people. No less than 16 cases were detected, and after having placed all the members of the orchestra in isolation the Festival now has sent back home the young musicians. The Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra (VFCO) will replace the Verbier Festival Orchestra (VFO) for two performances to open the 28th edition.
Gergiev will conduct the VFCO and guest pianist Denis Matsuev remains in the program and is joined by trumpeter Timur Martynov. The first evening concert will feature Shostakovich’s first piano concerto paired with Prokofiev’s first classical symphony. The second performance of the evening will begin with Beethoven’s third piano concert followed by Prokofiev’s first symphony.
