OpeningNight is a celebration of music, where we show that GAIA makes chamber music a very special experience.

You can experience chamber music in sequences of 30 minutes.
The sequences are repeated three times at each concert venue, always with a half-hour pause in between.
In the pauses you can take refreshments and comfortably stroll from one concert venue to the next.
All three venues are located within seven minutes' walking distance of one another.
You can hear various formations, genres and styles and spontaneously enjoy an evening of chamber music. You determine the course of your evening.

6.30 p.m.
only in Klösterli: Pre-concert talk with the musicians and festival introduction

7.30 – 8 p.m.
at all three venues: Concert

8.30 – 9 p.m.
at all three venues: Repeat of concert

9.30 – 10 p.m.
at all three venues: Repeat of concert

from 10 p.m.
in Klösterli only: Après-Concert with the artists

Ticket price: CHF 5
(No reductions)

The exact programme will be announced on the evening of OpeningNight.

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Syrinx for Solo Flute

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Märchenerzählungen (Fairy Tales) op. 132

Andrei Pushkarev (b. 1974)
"In the Mood of Blue"for Solo Vibraphon

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Sonata in G major for Violin and Piano

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
Tarantelle in A minor op. 6 for Flute, Clarinet and Piano

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
La valse
Version for two Pianos

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
The Carnival of the Animals

Performers
Flute: Janne Thomsen
Clarinet: Christoffer Sundqvist
Percussion: Pavel Bialiayeu, Andrei Pushkarev
Piano: Alexander Lonquich, Cristina Barbuti
Violin: Alexandra Kazovsky, Gwendolyn Masin
Viola: Jan Grüning
Violoncello: Amit Even-Tov
Double Bass: Massimo Pinca

Tickets: CHF 60

Includes:
Festival booklet with programme notes and biographies,
Prosecco in the interval,
nightcap with the musicians after the concert

Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin (*1932)
Humoresque
World Premiere of the Arrangement

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
Danse macabre

Manuel de Falla (1876–1946)
Danse espagnole from the opera
"La vida breve"

Ernest Bloch (1880–1959)
Nigun (Improvisation)

Johan Halvorsen (1864–1935)
Passacaglia in G minor
on a Theme by George Frideric Handel

Miklós Lukács (b. 1977)
Bartók-Impressionen
World Premiere

Béla Bartók (1881–1945)
Romanian Folk Dances Sz. 68

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Tzigane

Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979)
Grotesque
Swiss Premiere

Massimo Pinca (b. 1978)
The Fates for String Quartet and Cimbalom
World Premiere

Miklós Lukács (b. 1977)
Sirba in E

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Pièce en forme de Habanera

Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962)
La Gitana

Pablo de Sarasate (1844–1908)
Gypsy Airs op. 20

Performers
Violin: Alexina Barbe, Gwendolyn Masin, Priyanka Ravanelli, Léa Valentin
Viola: Martin Moriarty
Violoncello: Patrick Moriarty
Double Bass: Massimo Pinca
Cimbalom: Miklós Lukács

Tickets: CHF 60

Includes:
Festival booklet with programme notes and biographies,
Prosecco in the interval,
nightcap with the musicians after the concert

Jörg Widmann (geb. 1973)
3. Streichquartett (2003)
"Jagdquartett (Hunt Quartet)"

Ernest Bloch (1880–1959)
Sonata No. 2 "Poème mystique" for Violin and Piano

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
from Préludes I (L 117) for Piano
No. 11 La danse de Puck (Puck’s Dance)
No. 10 La cathédrale engloutie (The Submerged Cathedral)
No. 4 Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir (The Sounds and Fragrances Swirl Through the Evening Air)

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
Andante con moto C minor EG 116 for Piano, Violin and Violoncello

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Piano Quintet F minor op. 34

Performers
Violin: Gwendolyn Masin
Violoncello: István Várdai
Piano: Pascal Rogé
Ariel Quartet (Violin: Gershon Gerchikov, Alexandra Kazovsky, Viola: Jan Grüning, Violoncello: Amit Even-Tov)

Tickets: CHF 60

Includes:
Festival booklet with programme notes and biographies,
Prosecco in the interval,
nightcap with the musicians after the concert

Maximilian Grossenbacher (*1991)
Airreel
World Premiere
(commissioned by GAIA Musicfestival)

Marco Antonio Pérez-Ramirez (*1964)
OLUM
World Premiere
(commissioned by GAIA Musicfestival)

Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805)
String Quintet in E major op. 11 No. 5

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
String Quartet No. 15 in A minor op. 132

Performers
Ariel Quartet (Violin: Gershon Gerchikov, Alexandra Kazovsky, Viola: Jan Grüning, Violoncello: Amit Even-Tov)
Violoncello: István Várdai

Tickets: CHF 60

Includes:
Festival booklet with programme notes and biographies,
nightcap with the musicians after the concert

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Piano Trio in D major op. 70 No. 1
"Geistertrio (Ghost)"

Franz Liszt (1811–1886)
"Liebestraum" (Dream of Love) for Violoncello and Piano

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
from Préludes II (L 123) for Piano
No. 4 Les Fées sont d’exquises danseuses (Fairies are Exquisite Dancers)
No. 8 Ondine (Ondine)
No. 7 La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune (The Terrace of Moonlit Audiences)

César Franck (1822–1890)
Piano Trio F sharp minor No. 1 op. 1 for Piano, Violin and Violoncello

Performers
Violin: Gershon Gerchikov, Gwendolyn Masin
Violoncello: István Várdai
Piano: Pascal Rogé

Tickets: CHF 60

Includes:
Festival booklet with programme notes and biographies,
Prosecco in the interval,
nightcap with the musicians after the concert