Benefit concert with star pianist Lang Lang in Bamberg

Classical music of a world-class standard will sound from the Brose Arena in Bamberg this coming spring thanks to an initiative by Michael Stoschek, Chairman of the Brose Group. World famous piano virtuoso Lang Lang will perform together with the Bamberg Symphony – Bavarian State Philharmonic on March 31, 2016. Proceeds from the concert will benefit Bamberg’s World Cultural Heritage Trust. Donations will go towards the restoration of St. Michael’s monastery.

The idea for the concert came from entrepreneur and patron of the arts Michael Stoschek, who has chaired the board of trustees of Bamberg’s World Cultural Heritage Trust on a voluntary basis since 2004. He contacted the Chinese pianist, making the event possible. “The Brose Arena has seen great success as a sporting venue and I am thrilled that it will now host a top-class cultural event,” said Stoschek at the presentation of the project in Bamberg on July 7. According to Stoschek, the performance of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” before a 4,500-strong audience in 2013 showed that the arena is also suited to outstanding concerts. He said that Lang Lang – a true world star – has accepted the invitation to visit the cathedral city and will appear on stage with the Bamberg Symphony and Jonathan Nott, two “lighthouse institutions”. The orchestra and the conductor are volunteering their time and waiving their fee for the concert.

Donations for cultural treasure St. Michael

Bamberg’s mayor Andreas Starke emphasized the significance of the benefit concert for Bamberg’s World Cultural Heritage Trust. Starke said that maintaining and fostering the city’s cultural heritage is a great responsibility for everyone involved. He thanked Michael Stoschek for the idea and his involvement, as well as all of the project’s volunteers.

Proceeds from the concert will go towards the restoration of St. Michael’s monastery. The church building is a defining feature of the Bamberg cityscape and is celebrating its 1,000th anniversary this year. The double-digit million euro project to restore the cultural and historical attraction will take several years to complete. To date, over €110,000 in donations have been collected with the help of Bamberg’s World Cultural Heritage Trust.

Beethoven and Tchaikovsky in the Brose Arena

The concert will open with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, one of the most popular pieces of classical music. The second half will feature another major orchestral work: Lang Lang will play Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23 – a highly demanding piece for musicians, especially for the soloists. Marcus Rudolf Axt, Chief Executive of the Bamberg Symphony, has already experienced Lang Lang’s interpretation of the work and describes it as a “force of nature”. The virtuoso makes classical music accessible to a wide audience without being populist. “A top soloist. A top orchestra. A fantastic city – I can’t imagine a better combination,” said Michael Stoschek.

Advance tickets available now

Tickets for the benefit concert with Lang Lang and the Bamberg Symphony on March 31, 2016 can be purchased in six different seating categories ranging from €35.00 to €150.00. The concert starts at 8 pm. Tickets are now available at ticket offices, the Bamberg ticket counter at the Brose Arena, all Mediengruppe Oberfranken offices, online at kartenkiosk-bamberg.de, or from the eventim.de and adticket.de ticket portals.

Classical music fans also have the unique opportunity to dine with the artists in the Brose Arena’s business lounge following the concert. There are 200 seats available; tickets cost €100.00 per person.

The city of Bamberg has put together an attractive two-day premium package for culture enthusiasts: in addition to first-class concert tickets and the VIP dinner, the package includes an overnight stay in a luxury hotel and exclusive tour of the World Heritage Site and St. Michael’s monastery.