Les Athénéennes classical, jazz and techno program

Charming meeting opening the summer season, the festival The Athenians, organized mainly at the Alhambra, gives Geneva evenings a sweet scent of idleness. So again from this 13^e edition, from May 30 to June 8, which invites the public to grab as at the intercontinental breakfast buffet, between selected figures from the classical repertoire and fine blades of jazz. Plus a nice detour through the Geneva rock and pop scene.

On the menu of the event, there is even a sacred piano monster, Stephen Kovacevich, 83 years old, invited to play, according to the program, “unpublished music, composed or improvised” on the short films of his daughter Stéphanie Argerich. Born from the love between the American concert artist and his Argentinian colleague Martha Argerich, the filmmaker is known primarily for “Bloody Daughter,” a documentary recounting her relationship with the legendary pianist. From the father, let us recall this immense career launched in the 1960s, marked in particular by his interpretations of Beethoven. To be continued on 1^er June at the Alhambra.

Disney and techno

It is a habit of Athenian women to pile up disparate proposals in the same evening. This 1^er June will also make a foray into silent films by Jean-Baptiste Doulcet, the Genevan Leo Tardin for his “illustrated piano” project, finally the electronic duo, also local, Aeroflot. Nothing to do together, but why not.

In the same way, the opening evening, Thursday May 30, will cheerfully circulate the Jupiter Ensemble of the lutenist Thomas Dunford, programmed for the third consecutive year with, this time, the “Four Seasons” and the “Stabat Mater” of Vivaldi, towards American jazz first. Bassist John Patitucci, essential of the fusion era alongside Chick Corea in the 1980s, reviving with pianist Joey Calderazzo a trio initiated at the turn of the millennium, Dave Weckl on drums to complete the affair, acoustic format for traditional jazz. Continuation and end with Casablanca, latest project from the very prolific Genevan rocker Robin Girod. A “world creation” commissioned by the festival, specify the organizers.

Among the thirty concerts on the bill, we will highlight the Geneva Chamber Orchestra in the screenings of Disney’s “Silly Symphonies” (June 2), the Valais pianist Béatrice Berrut in Schönberg (June 4) and the Quartet Ébène in Fauré as well as Wayne Shorter (June 8). Also the Californian group Yellowjackets (1^er June), another figure of jazz fusion from the 1980s. Also note Klangphonics (May 31), a German techno house trio with guitar and drums, accustomed to open airs, which appears here in complete contrast to the rest of the program. The Athenians, or the joyful Macedonia of the summer.

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