Back On Stage II (Quarantined!)

a concert film

Principal Guest Conductor: Christoph Poppen
Piano: Alexander Krichel
Director: Stanley Ho

Programme
Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op 43
Beethoven Symphony No 8 in F, Op 93

Special performance:
Beethoven Sonata for Piano & Violin No 5 in F, Op 24, “Spring”
Violin: Christoph Poppen
Piano: Alexander Krichel

Performed / Recorded: 26 Sept 2020
First release: 28 Nov 2020 (Hong Kong)
Duration: 110 minutes
Language: English (Chinese, English subtitles)

Encouraged by the rapturous response of their début film “Back On Stage concert” which involved only the string section of the orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta ventures into its second attempt to share their experience with virtual audiences – this time in full force with 61 musicians, complete with winds, brass, harp and percussion.

Under the COVID-19 spell when the doors of the HK City Hall Concert Hall were still tightly shut for the audience, Hong Kong Sinfonietta recorded this concert one Saturday afternoon on 26 Sept 2020, with no fewer than eight cameras plus one jib, all equipped with the latest 4K technology.

“Back On Stage II (Quarantined!)” features two artists from Germany (Principal Guest Conductor Christoph Poppen and pianist Alexander Krichel) who stayed in a hotel room in Hong Kong for a full 14 days prior to their first rehearsal to satisfy the quarantine regulations (Click here to watch “My COVID Countdown Journal”). This film stands testament to Hong Kong Sinfonietta overcoming the difficulties of making music under the current situation, as they adapted to face masks and partitions – which have unfortunately become the new norm for orchestral performances.

The choice of repertoire: Rachmaninov’s ever-exuberant and bubbly Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, paired with Beethoven’s 8th Symphony – which signifies a more grounded sense of joy and serenity – reflect the dichotomy of our reminiscence of the “good times” (pre-COVID) and our hope for better times ahead (post-COVID). As a fitting bonus at the end, Beethoven’s best-loved “Spring” Sonata for piano and violin showers the empty auditorium with a warm drizzle, as the sunshine promises a new hope for a new beginning.