New season set to open at Istanbul's CRR concert hall

ISTANBUL

One of Europe’s oldest musical groups, Concerto Köln, will take the stage on Dec. 9.

The Istanbul Municipality Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall (CRR) will host one of the world’s oldest chamber music ensembles, I Musici Di Roma, as well as Concerto Köln and long-song master Viktor Lazlo, in its upcoming season.

I Musici Di Roma will take the stage on Dec. 8 with a repertoire of German composers’ songs. The regular guest at the important international festivals for more than 60 years, I Musici Di Roma will perform unforgettable works from Georg Philipp Telemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Another of Europe’s oldest musical groups, Concerto Köln will share the same stage on Dec. 9 with one of the best sopranos in the world, Simone Kermes. The musicians will perform selected arias and overtures from Handel and Vivaldi.

A baroque music chamber ensemble formed in 1985, Concerto Köln has a repertoire that stretches from early baroque to the Classical Era and into the 19th century with Mendelssohn. They have also done a number of collaborative works, such as a disc juxtaposing Turkish folk music with pieces in a Turkish style by composers such as Mozart.

The ensemble will also play concert grossos (big concerto) from Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco and Francesco Saverio Geminiani.

German soprano Kermes has given concerts with world-renowned stars such as Daniel Harding, Emmanuelle Haim and Max Emanuel Cencic. She has performed at many important concert halls internationally and is known for her virtuoso voice.

Viktor Lazlo at CRR for 30th year tour

The powerful voice of love songs, French-Belgian singer Sonia Dronier, known as Lazlo, will be on the CRR stage as part of her 30th-year tour. Dronier took her stage name from Paul Henreid’s character Victor Laszlo in the 1942 film “Casablanca.” She sings in French, English, Spanish and German.

Lazlo has been touring the world for the last three years with her album of top 20 songs from legendary jazz singer Billy Holiday. She will take the stage at CRR on Dec. 11.