Doha Community Orchestra brings Mozart to life at Katara

In an event held at Katara’s Opera House, the Doha Community Orchestra joined forces with world renowned soloists Karolina Plickova and Ludovik Kendi from Salzburg’s Mozarteum for a joint venture arranged by the Austrian Embassy and the Saracen Community Initiative.Austria’s most beloved and prolific composer was showcased in a two-hour concert. The evening captured the playfulness of Mozart’s music, along with the serious, emotional depth of his slower arias in a selection of extracts from Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) and Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute).Members of the Orchestra said they were “absolutely delighted” to be given the opportunity to perform with visiting singers of such high calibre and quite a rapport was built up at the first rehearsal with the singers who brought each aria to life for the group, some of whom are school children and have never heard an opera before.Brita Fray, conductor of the DCO, worked with the orchestra in special sectional rehearsals, doubling the usual rehearsal time so the orchestra were really given the opportunity to shine. The soloists commented that it was “a pleasure to be able to make music together here in this beautiful city”.Austrian ambassador Willy Kempel said that the orchestra “out-played themselves” and is looking forward to future collaborations.The Doha Community Orchestra is a full-sized symphony orchestra based in Doha since 2005, comprising of community members living, working or studying in Doha. The purpose of the DCO is to provide musicians of all ages the opportunity of performing in a full symphony orchestra. The DCO is sponsored by the Saracen Community Initiative. The Saracen Community Initiative is the not-for-profit community engagement arm of the Saracen group of companies.