HCM CITY — Belgian conductor Daniel Gazon will lead the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) in a concert on March 9.

The “Bruckner’s Requiem” concert will open with Mozart’s Symphony No 36 “Linz” in C Major, K. 425.

The symphony was written by Mozart during a stopover in the Austrian town of Linz when he and his wife were returning home to Vienna from Salzburg in late 1783. The entire symphony was written in four days to accommodate the local count’s announcement of a concert upon hearing of the Mozart’s arrival in Linz.

"Linz” will be followed by Andante Languido for string orchestra, written by American composer Nicolas Flagello in 1959.

The highlight of the night will be Requiem in D minor, WAB 39, a masterpiece by Anton Bruckner, an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets.

The work was written in memory of Franz Sailer, notary of the St Florian Monastery. It was premiered on 15 September 1849 in the St Florian Monastery, a year after Sailer’s death.

The concert will feature South Korean soprano Cho Hae Ryong, alto Nguyễn Vũ Uyên Di, tenor Phạm Trang, and bassist Đào Mác.

Gazon, born in 1955, finished studying trumpet and double bass in 1977, and began conducting studies a year later. He graduated from the International Seminar in Weimar, Germany and from Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.

Since 1985, he has worked with international acclaimed conductors like Seiji Ozawa and Sergiu Celibidache, and leading orchestras in Belgium, Poland, Slovakia and other European countries.

He has premiered contemporary works by 20th century composers including Magnus Lindberg from Finland, Claude Vivier from Canada, and Luc Van Hove of Belgium.

Gazon has been invited to perform at major contemporary music festivals including the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM)’s World Music Days Festival, Melos-Ethos International Festival of Contemporary Music, and Warsaw Autumn.

He has given master classes in conducting at conservatories in Belgium, Slovakia, Sweden and Italy.

The concert will open at 8pm at the HCM City Opera House, 7 Lam Sơn Square in District 1. — VNS