In the magnificent acoustic ambiance of the “Saint Sophia” cathedral, the audience at the “Ohrid Summer” festival enjoyed a masterful concert by British pianist Barry Douglas last night.
Douglas performed as part of the British Evening, organized for the first time at the festival with the support of the British Embassy in Macedonia.
The British Ambassador, Matthew Lawson, expressed his satisfaction that a top artist from his country was performing during this evening, emphasizing that the ties between the United Kingdom and Macedonia have never been stronger.
– “I am thrilled to be here, and that the British Embassy, together with the British Council, has the opportunity to give significant support to the British Evening as part of the festival. It is a pride to have the world-renowned artist Barry Douglas with us tonight. I believe the connection between our countries has never been stronger. I met many Britons throughout the city, even at the festival, where I was twice last week. We love and are very happy that our tourists enjoy your country. We have a wonderful partnership,” said Ambassador Lawson.
Pianist Barry Douglas, an artist with a strong creative individuality, created a beautiful spiritual atmosphere with his performance, which delighted the audience. The first part of the concert program was dedicated to Schubert and Tchaikovsky, and the evening concluded with Mussorgsky.
– “Schubert is a great love of mine, as is Russian music. I am recording works by Tchaikovsky, Schubert, and Brahms. I wanted not only to record their works but also to perform them live in concert. I believe that Schubert and Mussorgsky are wonderful, and their works fit perfectly with the acoustics of this beautiful ‘Saint Sophia’ church. Because of the strong acoustics and the warmth of the audience, the entire concert inspired me and was very easy for me. Easy in the sense that sometimes we have to struggle to make something special, but I felt like I was among friends,” the pianist Douglas said after the concert.
Following the British Evening, the traditional Italian Evening will be organized tonight at “Ohrid Summer,” featuring the baroque ensemble “Mare Nostrum” from Rome.
