With three concerts in the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s Summer Festival at the City Hall and two concerts in the Maynardville Open-Air Festival, the CPO has hit the ground running in January.
Add to that the February line-up which includes a concert in Kirstenbosch, a free concert in the Silo District at the V&A Waterfront, 10 concerts in the Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival, and a Sunset Concert in the Old Harbour in Hermanus to launch the programme of the Fynarts Festival.
Thursday, January 15 saw the first concert in the Summer Festival at the City Hall with pianist Alexander Ullman as soloist in the Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 the well-known “Emperor” concerto, by Beethoven. The British conductor Jonathan Lo, who is Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Australian Ballet, is on the podium for all three concerts, as well as the one at Kirstenbosch on February 1.
Ryoko Yano
In the second concert, on January 22, violinist Ryoko Yano will perform the Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 61 by Saint-Saëns, with the CPO also playing the Symphony No. 31 in D Major, K 297, “Paris”. The final concert in the season presents bandoneon specialist Lothar Hensel in the Bandoneon Concerto, “Aconcagua” by Piazzolla. The CPO will also play Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, El Salón México by Copland and Pines of Rome by Respighi.
Tickets for these concerts are from Artscape Dial-A-Seat 021 421 7695 or Webtickets. All concerts begin at 19:30 and are preceded by pre-concert talks at 18:45 free of charge to concert ticket holders.
On Sunday, February 1 at 17:30, the CPO will make the first of two appearances in the National Botanical Gardens at Kirstenbosch where Lothar Hensel will perform works by Piazzolla including Adios Nonino and Libertango, as well as fiery dances by Villa Lobos, De Falla and more. Tickets are available from Webtickets. . The second concert is children’s concert in March.
Friday, February 6 sees the CPO in the Silo District at the V&A Waterfront where Jason Atherton will conduct the free concert of popular and light classics at 19:00.
With soloists Miclen LaiPang (violin), Ariane Haering (piano) and Lothar Hensel (bandoneon), as well as members of the CPO performing as chamber musicians in the Dutch Reformed Church, tickets for the 5th annual Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival are already outselling all previous festivals. Included in the 10 concerts which take place between February 12 and 15 are an eclectic mix of well-known classics and lesser-known gems, including the Chopin Piano Trio, the Brahms Piano Quintet in F Minor, the Schubert Octet in F Major, the Brahms Clarinet Trio in A Minor, Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 8 and Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major. Tickets are available HERE.
The month comes to an end on February 28 with a Sunset Concert in the Old Harbour in Hermanus, conducted by Brandon Phillips, at 18:30. You can get your tickets HERE.
In March the CPO will again perform at Starlight Classics in Vergelegen before the Autumn season begins on April 2.
DEFINITELY – the CAPE TOWN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA HITS THE GROUND RUNNING IN 2026!
WHAT: CAPE TOWN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
WHERE: See each concert above
WHEN & BOOKING: see above
INFO: E shirley@cpo.org.za | VISIT | See CPO SWINGS @Maynardville
