March 18, 2013, 9:11 am -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- The Royal Albert Hall is to host a Bach Marathon this Easter Monday, April 1st. Led by esteemed conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner, an array of distinguished guests will perform highlights from the composer's vast canon.
Gardiner will conduct his own Monteverdi Choir, as well as the English Baroque Soloists, violinist Viktoria Mullova, cellist Alban Gerhardt, pianist Joanna MacGregor and organist John Butt. Guest speakers include musicologist Robert Levin, philosopher Raymond Tallis and authors Anna Starkey and Paul Elie. One of Bach's most recognizable choral works, the Easter cantata Christ lag in Totes Banden will be opened up to audience participation.
Sir John Eliot, whose 70th birthday falls three weeks after the concert, has long been associated with the figurehead of baroque music. According to The Times, “No one conducts Bach like John Eliot Gardiner”.
The Bach Marathon starts at 10.30am, continuing into the evening. Tickets are priced between £20 and £100.
To coincide with the event, a number of hotels in London have announced special discounted rates for the Easter weekend. The reductions are only available when booking through LondonTown.com.
Among the discounted hotels in London, the Baglioni Hotel London in Hyde Park Gate – a five minute walk from the Royal Albert Hall – is offering deluxe double rooms from £309 per night, a 45% discount on the usual rate.
The Fifty Four Boutique Hotel on Queen's Gate is offering double rooms from £105 per night – 65% less than usual. The Fifty Four is less than ten minutes walk from The Albert Hall.
The Grange Strathmore is also partnering with LondonTown.com to offer 65% off double rooms, bringing the cost of a stay on Easter Monday down to just £69. All hotels in London featured here are only available at the discounted rate when booking via LondonTown.com. Visit their site to find out more about the Bach Marathon on April 1st, and to view more discounted hotels in London. http://www.LondonTown.com
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