Violin from 1697 to arrive in Sarajevo

One of the best violinists of her generation at the moment and dear guest of Sarajevo, Alena Baeva, will perform on 13^th of May, at the National Theatre in Sarajevo.

Her concert, together with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Ivo Lipanović,, will be held from 12^th to 16^th of May this year, in National Theatre in Sarajevo within the 21^st Sarajevo Evening of Music.

Alena Baeva – perfect, glorious, extraterrestrial

This Russian artist’s gained her exceptional reputation by regular solo performances with some of the most prestigious ensembles such as the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater in Moscow, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the German Radio Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Belgium and the English Chamber Orchestra.

318 years old violin

The curiosity is that on Sarajevo concert, Alena Baeva will be playing on the famous Molitor Stradivarius, a violin made by the famous violin-maker Antonio Stradivari in Cremona in 1697. This exceptionally well-preserved violin is owned by a Russian collector who had it ceded to Baeva on use.

In the past 318 years, the violin has changed numerous owners and for the longest period, more than 70 years, was in the possession of the young general of Napoleon’s army, Gabriel-Jean-Joseph Molitor and his family. Later on, it was sold to a collector in the UK, and in 1989 American violinist, Elmar Oliveira,  comes in her possession  at an auction at Christie’s, and he was playing on this violin until 1994, when it becomes the property  of Albert Stern. Stern recorded two albums on this instrument, to make it offered at auction in 2010, at which it was sold to violinist Anne Akiko Meyers to record amount of 3.6 million USD.

At the Sarajevo concert, Alena Baeva will play interesting program Molitor Stradivarius violin. Details can be found on http://www.maf.ba, and tickets for this concert can be bought at the National Theatre at a price of 30 and 40 BAM.

(Source: Radiosarajevo.ba)