The 22nd International Pharos Chamber Music Festival, featuring six concerts, on 26, 27, 28, 31 May and 1 & 2 June 2023 at the Royal Manor House in Kouklia, offers a stunning array of chamber music repertoire, performed by 20 of the world’s leading and most celebrated artists. Many of these soloists are visiting our island for the very first time, bringing with them a fresh and unique perspective on each concert, that will leave audiences mesmerized.
Among the distinguished guest artists are two piano virtuosos who will leave the audience feeling enchanted: the magnificent Alexander Kobrin, making his Cyprus debut, whose exceptional skills have placed him at the forefront of the performing musicians of our times, and earned him the First Prize in such prestigious piano competitions as the Van Cliburn, the Busoni, and the Hamamatsu, and François-Frédéric Guy, making a triumphant return after eight years, whose mesmerizing interpretations have earned him international acclaim as a soloist and an orchestral conductor from the piano.
The Festival will also proudly present two exceptional violinists for the first time: the impressive Andrey Baranov, winner of over twenty international competitions including the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition, whose electrifying performances have captivated audiences around the globe, and Elly Suh, one of today’s foremost Paganini interpreters, whose spellbinding artistry, creative vision, and interpretative originality bring fresh life to concert stages everywhere. The Festival will also welcome back the spectacular first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Daishin Kashimoto.
The International Pharos Chamber Music Festival will have the honor to host once again the legendary cellist Mischa Maisky, whose exceptional playing has been hailed by none other than Mstislav Rostropovich himself, who aptly described it as “a combination of poetry and exquisite delicacy with great temperament and brilliant technique”. Joining Maisky will be his incredibly talented daughter, Lily Maisky, who is widely regarded as one of the most versatile and charismatic young pianists of our time. But that’s not all – the Festival is thrilled to welcome back two outstanding cellists who will grace our stage with their performances: Boris Andrianov, a prize-winner in some of the world’s most prestigious competitions such as the International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Shostakovich Classica Nova Competition in Hannover, and Jing Zhao, celebrated for her deep musicality and virtuosity, and First Prize-Winner of the prestigious ARD International Competition. Along with them, the astounding double-bassist Uxía Martínez Botana – described as one of the world’s top 10 bass players, and recognized internationally for her great intensity and exceptional technique.
The Pharos Festival is delighted to present four exceptionally gifted ladies who will make their debut on our stage this year, showcasing their rare talents to our wonderful audience: the charismatic young flutist Ana Ferraz; the principal oboist of the legendary Dresden Staatskapelle Orchestra and one of the leading oboists in the world Céline Moinet; and the brilliant clarinetist Clara Riccucci, whose debut as a soloist with the Lucerne Orchestra under the baton of Michael Sanderling marked the beginning of a thrilling and multi-dimensional career. They will be joined by one of the world’s most exciting marimbists, Ria Ideta, whose supreme mastery of the marimba promise to transport audiences to new heights of musical ecstasy.
This year’s Festival will also be supported by two new violists: Daniel Weissmann – the famous director of the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and one of the most praised musicians on the international scene; and Samvel Barsegian – the chief conductor and artistic director of the Lisbon Chamber Orchestra. As always, as the Festival will welcome the exceptional soloists who form the core, and the backbone, of the event each year: the unparalleled violinist Boris Brovtsyn and cellist Alexander Chaushian, as well as violists Diemut Poppen and David Abrahamyan.
With this extraordinary line-up of world-class musicians, the 22nd International Pharos Chamber Music Festival promises to be an unforgettable experience that will leave a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of all those who attend.
