Beethoven and the Romantic musical era saw the birth of the celebrity cult - a phenomenon that still influences the musical world today.

Fascinating contemporary musicians who don't spend much time out of the limelight take to the stages in Bonn from Sept. 4 - Oct. 3, 2009, including Kent Nagano, Ingo Metzmacher, Sol Gabetta, Valerie Gergiev, Krzysztof Penderecki, Gustavo Dudamel, John Eliot Gardner, Thomas Hengelbrock and Maurizio Pollini.

Beethoven live-stream

Beethovenfest 2009 also gives audiences the opportunity to get acquainted with the innovative orchestral models and programmatic approaches of well-known ensembles such as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.

Under the baton of Paavo Jarvi, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen - the Beethovenfest's "orchestra-in-residence" since 2004 - will present a Beethoven symphony cycle with a fresh take. All four concerts, from Sept. 9-12, can be viewed for free via live-stream on www.dw-world.de/beethoven.

The cyclical performance of all of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas is another part of the festival's look at the artistic ideal brought forth by the Romantic movement. The leading exponents of the fortepiano will be performing the sonatas on period instruments.

Classic meets hip hop

"In the Light" is not an exclusively programmatic concept: It also offers new perspectives on well-known pieces of music and familiar artists. During one weekend, the Beethovenfest puts the string-quartet genre into the spotlight as four young, internationally active ensembles demonstrate the development of the genre and the potential it has today.

To do this, familiar concert formats will be relaxed and genre boundaries and conventional structures cast aside in the Classic meets Hip Hop concerts with the hip hop band einshoch6 and the Minguet Quartett.

Germany turns 60

The year 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany - a historic event that isn't overlooked at the Beethovenfest. In the series "Path of Democracy," six politically significant locations in Bonn have been chosen to represent one decade each of musical history.

Fitting for such an important national anniversary, the Beethovenfest is under the patronage of German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the first time this year.

Other important anniversaries like the bicentenary of Felix Mendelssohn’s birth and the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death are also recognized in the program.

This year's Orchestra Campus program, sponsored by Deutsche Welle, heralds yet another anniversary: 2010 marks 35 years of relations between Germany and Vietnam. During the Beethovenfest, the university orchestra of the Vietnam National Academy of Music Hanoi will participate in workshops, give concerts and perform a new work specially commissioned for the occasion by Deutsche Welle.

Free festival podcasts

Once again, Beethovenfest sponsor Deutsche Welle proudly presents an extensive selection of festival performances, available free of charge as downloads or podcasts on iTunes. Don’t miss podcasts with the John Goldsby Quintet, Stefan Litwin, Salome Kammer, Andrea Lucchesini, Ronald Brautigam, the Kuss and Pacifica Quartets, the Pavel Haas Quartet and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra with conductor Kent Nagano.

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