Holidays in Switzerland: the classical music festival in Gstaad

Holidays in Switzerland in winter primarily consist of downhill skiing. Nevertheless, not only the opportunity to ski on the famous Alpine slopes of Switzerland attracts tourists to this country. In the south-west of Switzerland, about 80 kilometers from Bern and 120 kilometers from Geneva is located a world-famous ski resort of Gstaad-Sanenland. In addition to skiing holidays Gstaad is known as one of the centers of cultural life in Switzerland. It can be proved by the classical music Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad festival, which is being held at the resort on a regular basis and has already become one of the business cards of Gstaad.

On January 29, 2010 in Gstaad will be opened the Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad festival. On these days renting a cottage in Switzerland in the area of Gstaad is quite a complicated thing. Festival in Gstaad is, perhaps, the most prestigious and the most popular musical event in the winter Alps. During seven days connoisseurs and fans of classical music can enjoy their favorite compositions performed by the world-renown musicians. This year Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad will be held for the tenth time and in honor of the first anniversary of the festival organizers have prepared a special program. The main concerts will be usual held in the old chapel of a small village of Saanen, but few performances will take place in the main hall of the five-star luxury Gstaad Palace hotel, which is located on a hill in the heart of the city. This year at the festival of classical music will be performing such artists as Plamena Mangova, Joseph Moog, Sergey Malov, Johannes Moser, David Pia, Adam Krzesovits, Mary-Stephanie Janeček, as well as the Morgenstern trio, Berolina and many others. At the tenth festival special attention is paid to young performers, so in Gstaad will perform such young, but already well-known musicians as Kirill Gerstein, Andrei Korobeinikov, Eugene Sudbin. During Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad will be held more than 20 classical concerts, as audio and video at the presentations is categorically forbidden, to see and hear many great musicians you must arrive in Gstaad.

Gstaad is one of the most prestigious and fashionable places in Europe. Here comes for holidays the beau monde of the world: movie stars, aristocrats, businessmen and politicians, as well as members of royal families. However it is strange enough, Gstaad Sanenland is completely deprived of mock pomposity and ostentatious snobbery. So far it has remained a picturesque alpine village built in the beginning of last century, where everything is devoted only to making the life of holidaymakers happy and carefree.