1991 was the bicentenary of Mozart's death, which would in normal times have caused huge activity at the Festival. There was one Mozart opera on show, with Scottish Opera presenting its first production of La clemenza di Tito. However with Eastern Europe in turmoil following the demise of the Berlin Wall and a major thaw between East and West apparently under way, it was not surprising if that took precedence, with the opera programme enjoying visits by both the Bolshoi (with Eugene Onegin and Christmas Eve) and the Kirov (bringing the complete operatic output of Musorgsky).
The concert programme was therefore left to celebrate the Mozart anniversary. Even then, there was a Russian element, with the Requiem being given by the Leningrad Philharmonic. This opening gala concert, with Mozart's earlier, unfinished, C minor Mass, at least featured a local contingent - the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Edinburgh Festival Chorus. The four soloists were less familiar, with the Canadian Adrianne Pieczonka on the threshold of an international career. The concert opened with one of the most popular piano concertos, no24 in C minor, K491, no doubt chosen for its identical key signature. The soloist was Jeremy Menuhin, not heard at the Festival for some time. His father was not familiar as a conductor in Scotland, though he was no stranger to the rostrum elsewhere.
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