They still exist. Things that were believed to be long since extinct. Pencil sharpeners, phone books, or even the legendary spa concerts of Camerata Pontresina. The latter premiered in 1910 instead and have been the main attraction of Pontresina summer program ever since. Fast forward one century: in summer – weather permitting - salon music still rings out every day at 11:00 in Taiswald. When you sit down on a bench there, you embark on a journey back to the heyday of the Belle Époque. Close your eyes and just enjoy.
Camerata – Salon music in Pontresina
In summer, the orchestra performs daily.
Time travel back into the Belle Époque
Suddenly you see men with elegant walking sticks and ladies with big hats sauntering over from Pontresina Grand hotels. Over here, they dare to go alone - without a mountain guide – because the daily salon concert is something that can’t be missed. And for good reason: after all, the musicians playing here are from Milan’s La Scala. And all this in the crisp mountain air – in a far more relaxed atmosphere than in the sweltering heat of the city.
Music classics in the heart of Taiswald
When you open your eyes again, you will see a slightly different, but no less charming image. These days, the walking sticks often come in pairs and are made of carbon. And something else is different, too: the wide--brimmed hats have given way to baseball hats, and the young ladies show a lot of leg in short shorts. Up front on a small stage, musicians are celebrating classics of salon music. But what exactly is this salon music that sounds through the forest every summer? Back in the days long before CDs and smartphones, composers wanted to present their works in the bourgeois salons and hotels. Therefore, they wrote interpretations for smaller ensembles. Connoisseurs love it – even today. Because sometimes it creates an even more beautiful acoustic pattern than the original. The audience in Taiswald agrees – hopefully for the next hundred years to come.
Evening performances of the orchestra
Fans of classical music can, as a supplement to the magical morning concerts, end the day on four evenings with a vesper concert in the Taiswald or the Sta. Maria / San Niculo Church. The exclusive performances will take place on the following Tuesdays at 5.30 pm: 16 July, 23 July, 30 July, 6 Aug.
Young People's concerts
There are four concerts this summer especially for young audiences and those young at heart. On the mornings of 17 and 24 July and 7 and 14 August well-known pieces from cinema blockbusters will resound through the Taiswald alongside classical musical treats.