Austria to commemorate 200th anniversary of Haydn's death
2/6/2008 16:36
Austrian Federal Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and Austrian Vice Chancellor
Wilhelm Molterer said at a joint press conference yesterday afternoon that the
Austrian Federal Government would financially support activities in the Haydn
Year 2009.
Gusenbauer said that the Government would allocate a special fund
with 2 million euros in supporting the activities during the Haydn Year, which
would last from March to October in 2009, to commemorate Franz Joseph Haydn, the
great Austrian musician, who died on May 31 of 1809.
Molterer said that Haydn
was a great Austrian musician, who not only influenced Austria and Europe, but
also the whole world. The holding of "Haydn Year 2009" would promote also the
regional tourism and other economic sectors. Therefore, it was also "a Red-
White-Red project (of Austrian Government)."
They attended earlier the same
day a grand concert in Esterhazy Royal Palace in Eisenstadt, which opened the
prelude of the Haydn Year.
According to the arrangements, a total of 107
concerts, 12 Fairs as well as numerous research conferences, lectures and
exhibitions would be held during the upcoming Haydn Year. It is also another
large-scale cultural activity for introducing Austrian national musicians,
following the "Mozart Year 2006."
The climax of Haydn Year would be on May 31
of 2009, which is also the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death. At that day, both
Austria and other cities in the world such as Tokyo, London, Paris, Athens,
Sydney, San Francisco and Boston would hold concerts to perform Haydn's
works.
Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31 in 1732 and died May 31 in
1809. He was one of the most prominent composers of the classical period,
created 104 symphonies along his life and was regarded as "Father of the
Symphony" or "Father of the String Quartet."
Xinhua
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