Attractive plans from concert organizations

As has been the case for many decades, the Mozarteum Argentino remains the most solid institution. Its two subscription series will take place at the Coliseo. Some of the items are of Olympian rank, and I will single out the truly exceptional programming of the Berliner Staatskapelle under Daniel Barenboim: the three last Bruckner symphonies coupled with three Schoenberg scores. Highly demanding and fascinating, these sessions show a comforting confidence in our audiences' maturity (apart from two subscription performances, the third one will be non-subscription). Dates: May 29 and 30, June 2.

The season starts with recitals by talented pianist Sergio Tiempo (May 5 and 6) , and then follow (after Barenboim) the Vilnius Festival Orchestra (June 9 and 10) conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki, who will premiere two of his works. The brilliant American violinist Joshua Bell will be back on June 23 and 24). The Alban Berg Quartet will pay us an eighth and last visit on June 30 and July 1. The Orchestre Philharmonique de Liege under Pascal Rophé will accompany the admirable mezzosoprano Susan Graham singing Berlioz in her first visit to our city; on their own the players will stress the scores of César Franck . Dates: August 25 and 26.

The Hallé Orchestra visited us in preceding decades under Sir John Barbirolli and Stanislav Skrowacezweski; now they will come conducted by the talented Mark Elder (debut) in two eclectic though traditional programmes , where one item is the exception and intrigues me: there's no such thing as the announced Debussy Orchestral Preludes. They will also accompany Polina Leschenko in two hoary piano concerti (Liszt and Grieg); the Russian artist will make her local debut. The concerts will take place on September 8 and 9.

A most welcome return will be that of Hesperion XXI, that marvelous group of ancient music under Jordi Savall, featuring soprano Montserrat Figueras. Two programmes will certainly yield major surprises: "The Lost Paradises: Arabo-Andalusian, Jewish and Christian music from Old Hesperia to the discovery of the New World" on September 23 will be preceded by "The Route of the New World: meeting of cultures of Old Iberia and the New World".

The Jerusalem Festival Chamber Ensemble (debut) under pianist Elena Bashkirova (Barenboim's wife) will offer chamber music with clarinet, violin, cello and piano by Bartók, Brahms, Mozart and Hindemith on October 27 and 28. The season will end with a strange visit: Kodo (debut), Japanese percussion ensemble based on the "taiko", a traditional drum (November 4 and 5).

Nuova Harmonia, also at the Coliseo, takes on this year a very welcome cosmopolitan slant, although it keeps having the support of the Italian Government. The Bamberg Symphony, led here by distinguished conductors in the past (Keilberth, Stein) will now have for this tour the local debut of Jonathan Nott (May 8). On May 13 we shall hear the Orchestra d'Archi Italiana (director and soloist, Mario Brunello). June will bring us (on the 5^th) the Ensemble Punto It (debut, quintet with piano).

July will be very interesting, with the Accademia Bizantina under Ottavio Dantone, who leads from the harpsichord (on the 2^nd), and the admirable Youth Orchestra of the Americas paying us a return visit under Carlos Miguel Prieto with the brilliant Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire (on the 23^rd); on the prior visit the conductor was no less than Michael Tilson Thomas. August will renew the pleasure of the acquaintance with the Zukerman Chamber Players (a string quintet; on the 13^th) and as Nuova Harmonia accustoms to do (I don't agree), there will be a ballet session, this time with Eleonora Cassano, Cecilia Figaredo, Hernán Piquín and the Ballet Argentino under Julio Bocca (on August 20^th).

September will provide sure pleasure with the best Argentine pianist of his generation: Nelson Goerner (on the 4^th). The first day of October will give us the Swiss Piano Trio, and there will be a splendid final offering: the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra Moscow under Vladimir Fedoseyev (October 16).

Festivales Musicales this year offers "Bach and the Twentieth Century". With well-chosen programming of valuable music, there will be less foreign artists than in other seasons, but I believe most concerts will be satisfying. April 15 will allow us to hear our best chamber choir, the Estudio Coral de Buenos Aires under Carlos López Puccio (Auditorio de Belgrano). May 5: Quinteto Filarmónico de Buenos Aires (Avenida). June 11: the debut of the Verdehr Trio from USA (violin, clarinet and piano; also Avenida). In the first of several collaborations with the Colón, the B.A. Philharmonic will be conducted at the Coliseo by Franz-Paul Decker and his soloist in the Gershwin Concerto will be Horacio Lavandera (June 13). The young wonder of the piano will be back in a recital on July 4 (Auditorio). The Choir and the Orquesta Estable of the Colón under Carlos Vieu will offer a Villa-Lobos Bachianas and the always popular Orff "Carmina Burana" (Auditorio).

The Piano Duo Roggeri/Favre-Kahn will be heard at the Avenida on August 11. A major endeavour on September 23: Bach's St.John Passion under Mario Videla with local ensembles and distinguished vocal soloists. Videla and the Estudio Coral combine on October 7 at the Santo Domingo Convent. The season will end with a valuable combination of Poulenc's "Gloria" and Puccini's "Messa di Gloria" under the famous conductor Michel Corboz, with the Colón Choir and Orchestra (November 12).

For Buenos Aires Herald