The Mad, Mad, Mad Violinists

Music and comedy have coexisted for a long time and in many varied ways, in entertainment especially, even in operas. Imagine a film of Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton without the piano! It wouldn't be the same. Pagagnini continues to unite music and humour within the cultural embarkation of Madrid and Barcelona. Four acclaimed musicians with acting talent represent different characters one finds in an orchestra, with their differences between themselves and wit the director. Maniacs and clowns in a very serious and enjoyable concert of classical music, but they can't come to any agreement as each tries to impose the way he wants to present the music. So they just start to play and see what comes out, while trying to come together in some sort of harmony. All that is the plot, no doubt with every gag, every detailed comic gesture and rearrangement of music well thought out, planned and rehearsed. With hilarious but very pleasing and harmonious results. The quartet are all famous classical music virtuosos and maestros, their added talent as comedians make the concert a very unique enjoyment that has nothing or little to do with a traditional concert, but only on the visual part, without altering the great discipline of the music composition. The idea and unusual format came from Ara Malikian, the histrionic violinist, director of the Teatro Real, has a facet of an accomplished actor that surprised and delighted many. He had to convince the string quartet who are more used to performing in the opera house or the famous Palau de la Musica concert hall, to agree to play in the great theatre Romea instead. To attract the younger audience to the classical music, and to appeal to the general public who find the traditional classical concert too serious and daunting. The concert, apart from the well respected repertory of known classical pieces of Mozart, Pagagnini and some Spanish greats, represented are also that of Serg Gainsbourg; even with a theme of U2's 'With or without you'. "I don't think Von Karajan would like it, but Bernstein, for sure." said Malikian. Tags:ClassicConcert,MadViolinists

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