Wigmore Soloists Make Tenerife Debut with Stravinsky’s 'The Soldier’s Tale'

The Wigmore Soloists make their debut at the Auditorio de Tenerife this Thursday, marking a significant moment for the island’s Chamber Music Series. Representing London’s prestigious Wigmore Hall, the ensemble brings a program that bridges the gap between interwar avant-garde music and the storytelling traditions of musical theater.

Led by clarinetist Michael Collins and Wigmore Hall director John Gilhooly, the group has built an international reputation performing at world-class venues like Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and Tokyo’s Yamaha Hall. Their technical skill was recently honored with a 2023 Diapason d’Or for their recordings of Beethoven and Berwald, cementing their reputation for bringing a fresh perspective to the chamber repertoire.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and features a program defined by its technical ambition. The evening opens with Alfredo Casella’s Serenade, Op. 46, followed by Sergei Prokofiev’s Quintet, Op. 39—a work noted for its experimental style and unique instrumentation.

The highlight of the night is Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier's Tale. This performance will feature actor José Luis de Madariaga, whose narration is essential to the piece. He will recount the Faustian fable of a musician who trades his violin for wealth, perfectly showcasing the intersection of chamber music and drama.

The ensemble performing in Tenerife includes an impressive lineup of top-tier musicians: Charlie Lovell-Jones (violin), Fiona Bonds (viola), Steffan Morris (cello), Tim Gibbs (double bass), Olivier Stankiewicz (oboe), Robin O’Neill (bassoon), Philip Cobb (trumpet), Peter Moore (trombone), and Owen Gunnell (percussion). This visit is a rare opportunity to hear one of today’s most acclaimed ensembles and further establishes the Auditorio de Tenerife as a key destination for Europe’s leading musical talent.