The 1920s in Bruckner: free outdoors on Linz's main square

“It should be a fun Christmas concert,” Markus Buchner, conductor of the Linz Bruckner Orchestra, says of the outdoor concert that will take place on July 4 at 8 p.m. in Linz's main square. They thought for a long time about where the concert could be held; Places such as the Cathedral Square or the castle were also available to choose from. “We wanted to be in the center of Linz,” Buchner says. Because: “It should be a birthday party for the people of Upper Austria.” Works related to Anton Bruckner, who turns 200 on September 4, will be on display, from Richard Wagner (“Ride of the Valkyries”) to Gioachino Rossini (“William Tell”), film musician John Williams (“Presumably “Starwars”)” and of course Anton Bruckner himself.

Guests are also invited to attend the ceremony. The Mühlviertler Folkshilfe Ensemble will appear and together with the orchestra will play three songs symphonically arranged especially for the concert, including hits such as “Schöner Mensch” and “Hau di Her”. “Linz is our city,” says Paul Slaviček, one of the three Folkshelf musicians. “The fact that we are allowed to play here, of all places, in the main square – I can’t think of anything bigger.” His colleague Gabriel Frolik says the anticipation is huge: “It's going to be really bad.” The second guest will be cellist Kian Soltani, who will play Friedrich Gulda's Cello Concerto with the orchestra.

Photo: Volker Wehbold

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