The Cairo Opera's latest newcomer speaks to Amal Choucri Catta Cairo Symphony Orchestra, in its 49th Season, is once again promoting closer cooperation with foreign musicians; the appointment of as Chief Conductor of the Egyptian Symphonic Ensemble, starting in September 2007, may indeed be an event to celebrate. Born in Baden in 1959, Sporri the Swiss studied conducting, trumpet and composing in Basel and Vienna. He was principal guest conductor of the Hermitage Symphony Orchestra - Camerata St Petersburg starting in 1992, as well as permanent guest conductor of the Vienna Opera Ball Orchestra. Sporri was awarded, among others, the First Prize of the "Forum of young artists, Vienna", a contest for orchestra conductors in 1989, or the "Culture First Prize" from Canton Solothurn in 1992. He has conducted a number of well- reputed orchestras, such as the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Basel Finfonietta, the Philharmonic State Orchestra, Halle, and the Westsaxon Symphony Orchestra. Sporri also conducted a number of famous choirs, such as Rustavi Choir, Georgia, the Radio Choir, St Petersburg, and the famous "Regensburger Domspatzen". Cairo's new Chief Conductor also worked with prominent musicians among whom we discover Alexander Masarski, Jeremy Menuhin and Dimitri Ashkenazy. As a trumpeter he performed with several orchestras and occupied the post of principal conductor of the Swiss Army Brass Band from 1995 to 2007. As a composer, Sporri is mainly responsible for commissioned works, such as "Hip-brass-hop-opera" "Under the Bridge" and the tone-poem "Legend", while being engaged in the cultural field, founding several festivals and musical programmes, among them a competition for conductors "Prix Credit Suisse". On Saturday 9 December 2006 Andreas Sporri was guest conductor of Cairo symphony Orchestra for the very first time. The concert's programme was quite demanding. Opening with Carl Maria von Weber's Overture to "Der Freischutz", followed by Weber's second Concerto for clarinet and orchestra in E-flat major, Opus 74, and closing with Dimitri Shostakovitch's fifth symphony in D- minor, Opus 47. The soloist on the clarinet was the renowned Dimitri Ashkenazy. And the concert was a smashing success. That night, the audience discovered the phenomenal musicianship of the Swiss maestro, so much so, that he was asked to accept the position of chief conductor of the Cairo Symphonists. This was not an easy matter, due to the Maestro's multiple commitments abroad. Finally, however, an agreement was reached: Sporri will be conducting eight concerts in Cairo Opera's Main Hall and four concerts in Alexandria during the present Season. "And then we shall see," he says. "I conducted Cairo's symphony orchestra for the first time on the 9th of last December. I had never been to Cairo and I must say that since the first few moments I have been enjoying the fiery musicianship of the instrumentalists: for one whole week, we had fantastic teamwork. This started me thinking about the proposition concerning my appointment as Chief Conductor of the orchestra. I am very happy with the result. We are starting our concerts this coming Saturday, 22 September with Carl Orff's 'Carmina Burana'. The rehearsals, with three soloists and the A Cappella Choir, went very well. I am quite satisfied: the musicians are dedicated and they have a deep feeling for the music. As for your question pertaining to the repetitive change of principal conductors, it is important for musicians to remain flexible and to respond to the different conductors as they come along. While rehearsing with the orchestra I felt their sensitivity, they had no problem understanding the Maestro's style and responding to it. On the other hand, it is doubtless necessary for the orchestra to feel the authority of the principal conductor, though I believe the authority should be more on the cooperative side. The Maestro should also be able to appreciate the good musical intentions of one or the other of the more dedicated musicians. For me, conducting is about the beauty of the dialogue with the musicians and in the love of music itself: that is my real passion. The worst thing is playing the score without feeling the music. There must be sensitivity, and I believe the orchestra has it. "With regard to the programme of this season, we shall have it classical and romantic. Next week, for instance, we are having Beethoven and Mozart and later on, we shall have Mahler's Fifth, and in the end Haydn's 'Creation'. We shall also have Tchaikovsky and I am planning to pay tribute to Leonard Bernstein who will be having his 90th birthday. Furthermore, I am planning to go through the different possibilities of innovation. I shall also try to get acquainted with the music of Egyptian composers. I am sure we shall have a good Season..." This Season, director Inas Abdel Dayem, general manager of Cairo Symphony Orchestra has succeeded in realising an interesting programme with guest conductors such as Kjell Seim, Marcello Motadelli, Claudio Vandelli, Christoph Mueller, Nader Abbassi and Ahmed El Saedi, who will be conducting six concerts at the Main Hall this Season. El Saedi was principal conductor of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra for ten year before creating his own musical ensemble. His numerous fans will be happy to applaud him again at the Cairo Opera House. On 6 October he will be giving us Franz Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" which we have not heard in a long time, and on 23 February he will be conducting Antonin Dvorak's "Czech Suite", Bederich Smetana's "Vltava" and Leo Janacek's "Taras Bulba". The Cairo Symphony Orchestra will also be giving us our yearly Christmas Concert with the soloists of the Cairo Opera Company and the Cairo Celebration Choir conducted by Nayer Nagui, as well as the New Year's Concert with lots of flowers and confetti, while Igor Stravinsky's "Oedipus Rex - opera oratorio", with soloists and the A Cappella Choir conducted by Nader Abbassi, will be coming our way on 12 January. The Seventh Arab Perspectives Festival will be taking place from 9 to 19 February and the orchestra will be celebrating Giacomo Puccini's 150th anniversary with a concert on 31 May, presenting themes from his operas "Le Villi", "La Boheme", "Gianni" "Schicchi", "Tosca", "Turandot" and "Manon Lescaut". Inas Abdel Dayem has done a perfect job: the Cairo Opera's 20th anniversary it will make for\ a beautiful orchestral Season...
