The Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo (OPMC) offered an engaging and intimate chamber concert on Wednesday afternoon at the Auditorium Rainier III, marking the penultimate “Musical Happy Hour” of its season…
With a concise one-hour format and an audience-friendly approach, the concert showcased two rarely heard and beautifully executed pieces that captivated both the musicians and the audience alike.
The first work on the programme was Gioachino Rossini’s Duo for Cello and Double Bass, performed by Delphine Perron (cello) and Mathias Benz Mana (double bass). The piece, known for its playful interplay and demanding virtuosity, offered an unusual pairing that allowed both instruments to shine equally.
The second half featured Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat major, Opus 20, a piece that enjoyed enormous success at its premiere in 1800. Despite later feeling overshadowed by the popularity of the work, Beethoven’s innovative combination of three wind instruments and three strings, with the double bass at its heart, remains an inventive and charming contribution to chamber music. The ensemble included violinist Andrey Ostapchuk, violist Rogero Mastro Lorenzi, cellist Delphine Perron, bassist Mathias Benz Mana, and wind players Andrea Cesari (horn), Arthur Menrat (bassoon), and Diana Sampayo (clarinet).
Together, the musicians delivered a warm, elegant performance in perfect balance, a mini orchestra in itself, built, as one performer shared, from “a team of friends.” It was a joyful close to a season of musical discovery.
Image: Monaco Info
