Press Releases Visual Pool Press Communication Vienna Philharmonic Gave A Concert In Istanbul For The Very First Time In Its History
PRESS RELEASE 24 JUNE 2010
- MAGNIFICENT CONCERT BY THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC IN TURKEY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME
- CONDUCTOR RICCARDO MUTI, “IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO MAKE MUSIC BEFORE SUCH AN AUDIENCE, IN SUCH A CITY"
- SABANCI HOLDING CHAIRMAN GULER SABANCI, “IT WAS A NIGHT OF HONOUR FOR US ALL. IT WAS A NIGHT DESERVED BY THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE ISTANBUL. THE ORCHESTRA WAS GORGEOUS, AND MAESTRO RICCARDO MUTI DID WONDERS”
Within the scope of the "38th International Istanbul Music Festival", the 160-year Vienna Philharmonic gave a concert in Istanbul for the very first time in its history, under the sponsorship of Enerjisa, the Sabanci Holding and Austrian Verbund joint-venture. The concert held at the Halic Convention Centre was attended by Minister of State for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, Minister of State and Deputy Prime Minister Hayati Yazici, Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertugrul Gunay, Sabanci Holding Chairman Guler Sabanci, Sabanci Holding CEO Zafer Kurtul, Verbund CEO Wolfgang Anzengruber, Verbund Chairman Gilbert Frizberg, Sabanci Holding President of Energy Group Selahattin Hakman, IKSV (Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts) Chairman Bulent Eczacibasi, and the leading celebrities of the world of business, art and media.
The Concert was attended by an audience of more than 3,000 people. By the end of the concert, the Conductor Riccardo Muti and the orchestra members were applauded warmly by the audience. Following the concert, Sabanci Holding Chairman Guler Sabanci visited Conductor Riccardo Muti in the lobby for congratulation. Then Conductor Riccardo Muti and the Orchestra members attended the reception hosted by Sabanci Holding Chairman Guler Sabanci.
While evaluating the night in his statement at the reception, Riccardo Muti said that he had also been to Istanbul twice before, adding: “I love Istanbul and the Turkish people very much. It was a huge pleasure for me to perform music before an audience full of that excitement and eager. It is an immense happiness being together with such a nice audience tonight”.
Sabanci Holding Chairman Guler Sabanci said that the concert was too impressive. Sabanci stated that she felt greatly happy for seeing in Turkey the Vienna Philharmonic, the most important orchestra of the world, with a long history of 160 years.
“THE UNFINISHED SYMPHONY BUILT A BRIDGE FROM AUSTRIA INTO OUR HEARTS”
Having stated that they felt also honoured for their, as Enerjisa, a Sabanci-Verbund partnership, having sponsored the concert, Sabanci said, “It was a night of honour for us all. It was a night deserved by the European Capital of Culture Istanbul. The Orchestra was gorgeous, and Maestro Riccardo Muti did wonders. Fortunately we have such a space in Istanbul so that we could host them. We also have such an audience. More than 3,000 people have listened to the music with a huge excitement. I am proud thereof in the name of my country. With the Linz Symphony of Mozart, Conductor Muti and the Orchestra brought Austria closer to us, while the Unfinished Symphony of Schubert built a bridge from Austria into our hearts.”
MINISTER OF STATE EGEMEN BAGIS: “THEY HAD BETTER THINK IT AGAIN”
Having attended the concert with his wife, Minister of State and Chief EU Negotiator Egemen Bagis, on the other hand, emphasized the great significance of Vienna Philharmonic’s visit to Istanbul, and congratulated the Orchestra’s Conductor Riccardo Muti at the reception given following the concert held at the Halic Convention Centre. Bagis stated that the night helped the grandeur of Istanbul to be perceived once more.
Having underscored that Istanbul, the Capital of three Empires, the Roman, the Byzantine, and the Ottoman, and then the European Capital of Culture, successfully hosted the most popular orchestra in the world, Bagis said, “I deem it highly meaningful that this performance is reflected worldwide from Istanbul. Those who want to query the axis, course and vision of Turkey had better think it again after having read the news about tonight."
