Festival party – a great start for the Altenburg Academy of Music

The “Altenburg Music Academy (AMA)” kicked off with a celebratory concert marking the 75th birthday of international singer Robert Hall at the Abbey Library. “Schubertiade with Robert Holl and friends” was an unusual opening, reflecting a special and diverse programme.

The AMA 2022 is one of the best musical performances of its kind and is attended by participants from all over the world. Abbot Thomas Rayner emphasized the cultural summer and hospitality at Altenburg Abbey. State Representative Franz Linsborough congratulated the organizing team around Robert Lehrbaumer “for the cultural show and that you can experience live music in this first-class format.” Andrea Linspur and Robert Leerbaumer opened the concert evening with a spirited Schumann birthday parade. After that, only the works of Franz Schubert were on the program. Jan Petrica, Margit Fossey, Anya Mittermüller, Lucas Sternnath and Technical Director Leerbaumer starred in the first part of the evening.

Next highlight: Piano concert on July 14

After the break, bassists Martina Schaeffer and Heinz Wallish delighted the audience with their version of guitar and ukulele quartet in G major D96 for flute, viola and guitar. Party-goers eagerly awaited the appearance of Lehrbaumer with Hungarian melody D 817 and Kammersänger Robert Holl, who achieved international fame as one of Schubert’s most important interpreters but also as Wagner’s interpreter. Audiences experienced Hole through his own and favorite musical repertoire, Franz Schubert’s Songs. He was accompanied by pianists Margit Fossey, Andrea Linspur and Lerbaumer, who praised Hall’s voice as “the voice of God”.

The opening ceremony will be followed by more highlights during the two-week AMA gala, such as a piano play on July 14 where American pianist Min Kwon will perform variations of the popular American song “America the Beautiful” at the Abbey Library. After many other musical events in Altenburg and Horn Abbey, the finale will be an amazing orchestra concert on July 24 at 11:15 a.m. at the Abbey Library. Young international soloists perform famous solo concerts by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven for piano, violin, cello and orchestra with the Vienna International Orchestra conducted by Robert Leerbaumer.