Mozart Eats Hummous by Hanoch Ron, Yediot Ahronot, June 16, 2004

The Opening of the Abu Gosh Festival:  Mozart, Rheinberger and Kovler.  Conductor:  Hanna Tzur.

The Abu Gosh Festival opened with a storm.  Abu Gosh proved once again that it is the festival of festivals in Israel, and the only true festival like those that take place in the rest of the world.  It’s the original programming, the scenery that merges with the music, the audience, the atmosphere.  Yesterday, I saw Mozart eat hummous, and it was wonderful.

The opening was a celebration for the ears:  The Missa Longa by a 20 year-old Mozart.  How could such a young man dare to write such perfect music?  How could he compose such a moving “Credo” (“I believe”), which gets under your skin?  Such nerve.

And there were surprises:  The conductor Hanna Tzur delivered a supremely confident Mozart:  The singing was fresh, open, flowing – and above all, full of style.  The Ramat Gan Choir was amazing with its full, rolling sound.  The Israel Chamber Orchestra was at its best.

The second surprise:  Mati Kovler – the discovery of a wonderful young (24) Israeli composer, with his piece, “Yiftach’s Daughter before her Death”.  He has a great sense of rich orchestration, and presented a piece of strong emotional intensity.  Young Eitan Shmeisser’s conducting flowed beautifully.

There was also a rich performance of the Rheinberger Requiem.  Where could you hear such an original program?  Unbelievable – an Israel choir, an Israeli conductor and an Israeli composer gave us a celebration of quality.  Believe it.  If you don’t come to Abu Gosh this weekend, it’s your loss.