Star pianist Lang Lang congratulates the Swiss Alps Classics on its anniversary

Chinese star pianist Lang Lang has congratulated the Swiss Alps Classics on its anniversary with a video message. "I look back with beautiful joy to my visit in 2018. All the best for your fifth anniversary! Lots of love to you," the 38-year-old said in the message. "Thank you so much... for hosting again the young pianists from my foundation." In 2018, Lang Lang performed together with scholarship holders from his "Lang Lang International Music Foundation" at the Theater Uri in Altdorf as part of the Swiss Alps Classics. The Swiss Alps Classics, under the artistic direction of Clemens Hellsberg, celebrated its fifth anniversary with four concerts from June 2-5, 2021. "I especially send my love to you Clemens," Lang added. He has known the former chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic since his youth.

Festival founder Peter-Michael Reichel was delighted to receive the message. "Lang Lang's video message is very special. A world star like him only does that when he identifies with a festival. Back then, he felt very much at home in our family atmosphere and Andermatt’s wonderful natural surroundings," pointed out the native of Upper Austria, who now resides in Andermatt.

First pilot project in central Switzerland a success

Reichel was also pleased with the development of the Swiss Alps Classics, which reached new heights with this year's anniversary event. He was particularly proud of the successful pilot project, which was the first in Central Switzerland. The festival's closing concert by New York soprano Marisol Montalvo in the Andermatt Concert Hall, which was held in front of 270 guests, had been named as a pilot project by the canton of Uri. This means that up to 325 visitors would have been allowed (instead of 100), but all guests, contributors and staff had to be either fully vaccinated, recovered, or tested. The organizers set up a mobile test station on site. "The feedback from the guests and the artist was very, very positive," Reichel said. “Everyone felt safe, fully understood the protection measures, and enjoyed the evening. Our thanks go to the canton of Uri for their trust."

A total of 530 guests came to the four concerts: Lang Lang's “Young Pianists” in the Park Hotal Vitznau; the Viennese piano virtuoso Maria Radutu in The Chedi Andermatt; the Swiss Alps Chamber Ensemble conducted by Emmanuel Tjeknavorian in the church of the Disentis Benedictine monastery and Montalvo's one-woman show "Mad Scene" in the Concert Hall.

Post-festival is pre-festival: Peter-Michael Reichel is already planning the sixth edition of the festival together with Clemens Hellsberg and organizer Sandra Reichel, his daughter. The motto that will follow "Mozart" (2017), "Family" (2018), "Composers’ Festival" (2019), "Beethoven.250" (2020) and "Variations on the Theme of Music" (2021) has not been revealed. Dates are currently being finalized.

Andermatt Swiss Alps AG – an important partner from the start

Such a festival, founders Reichel and Hellsberg repeatedly emphasize, would not be possible without sponsors. Andermatt Swiss Alps AG has been a reliable partner from the very beginning. As its CEO Raphael Krucker was keen to point out: "The Swiss Alps Classics concert series is an important part of Andermatt's cultural offerings."

Other valued local partners include Arnold AG (Schattdorf) and Regli AG (Andermatt and Zumdorf). Further support for the Swiss Alps Classics comes from the Otto Gamma-Stiftung for the promotion of culture.