<<  -- 6 --  David Wilkins    A WEEK TO REMEMBER

The classical music world moves on. Inevitably, plans for the future of the Istanbul Festival are well advanced. Next year's 31st outing includes such starry prospects as Fabio Biondi's Europa Galante, Yuri Bashmet, Andreas Scholl, Maria Joao Pires with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Nancy Argenta, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra conducted by Maazel and other treats too mouth-watering to mention. Don't even think about pencilling it into your diary -- get yourself a decent fountain pen, the blackest of India ink and promise yourself the pleasure of being there.

I would like to thank, with genuine and unreserved gratitude, the staff of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts who made this visit such a life-enhancing pleasure. They are many and they know who they are. Special greetings, though, to Ustungel Inanc and Esra Nilgun Mirze of the Press and Public Relations department, Ahmet Erenli -- the enormously calm Director of the Music Festival who provided time when he, effectively, had none to spare, and the splendid guiding skills of dear Burcu without whom a great deal of the city she so proudly represents would have been missed.

Thanks, also, to representatives of the Turkish Tourist Authority and Turkish Airlines who were generous in their help with travel arrangements.

Music & Vision is not, I know, a travel-site but I would like, on this occasion, to sneak in a special recommendation for the Blue House Hotel in Sultanahmet where I was able to negotiate a special 'festival' rate and which, far removed from any special-pleading, I am happy to announce as being as finely-situated, stylish and welcoming as anywhere I could imagine laying a weary concert-goer's head after the splendours of the Festival in this most magical of cities.