The Hindu : New Delhi News : Haydn comes to Delhi on tour

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Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009
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New Delhi

Haydn comes to Delhi on tour

Urvashi Sarkar

Exhibition capturing his life and times begins today

— Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Austrian Cultural Forum Director Gudrun Hardiman-Pollross (right) and Alka Raghuvanshi, artistic adviser for the upcoming exhibition, in New Delhi on Monday.

NEW DELHI: After an inaugural run in Seoul, a documentary exhibition titled “Haydn on Tour” opens at India International Centre here on Tuesday to mark the 200th death anniversary of the legendary Austrian composer, Joseph Haydn, whose compositions form the tunes for the Austrian and the German national anthems.

It also marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between India and Austria. “We aim to bring special events to India on the occasion. We will bring in certain Indian elements in the exhibition,” said the Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum, Gudrun Hardiman-Pollross.

Kuchipudi veteran Raja Radha Reddy will inaugurate the exhibition which will showcase 42 exhibits that chronologically capture Haydn’s life and times. They will attempt to unfold the artiste’s persona, his music, peers and patrons who contributed to his brilliance. Also, in focus will be places where he lived and composed his works.

“He greatly influenced Viennese classical music which is labelled as ‘the classical music’ the world over,” said Ms. Hardiman-Pollross, adding, “He also played the baryton, an antique musical instrument which we are hoping to bring to India.”

Artistic adviser for the exhibition Alka Raghuvanshi said: “Haydn performed almost a thousand operas. He was a recognised musical genius in his time.”

The exhibition is a run-up of sorts to a concert to be held here in September when Haydn’s trio, a group of three musicians that practises Haydn’s style of music, will perform.

The exhibition, open to the public from August 5 to 12 daily, is a joint project with Burgenlandische Haydn Festpiele, the International Joseph Haydn Private Foundation Eisenstadt and the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

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