Concert For The Sunrise

It is Sunday morning and 6 a.m. It is dark and despite it being the very end of July, cold. A strong wind is blowing. I am outside the Cortalets Refuge on the slopes of Pic Canigou at 2150m wrapped in my sleeping bag trying to stay warm. There are perhaps 200 other people with me.

Why? Because as part of The Pablo Casals Music Festival 5 musicians are about to play chamber music to welcome the arrival of the Sun King.

They start playing just after 6.20 a.m. and the dark red rising sun can be seen throught the dark clouds at about 6.40 a.m. A magical moment! The scene fits perfectly with the theme of the  2011 festival: Chamber Music Highs.

Michel Lethiec the festival director said: I've always wanted to play a concert on the Canigou mountain. Today his dream became a reality.

Pablo Casals was a Catalan cellist who was exiled from Spain under Franco and settled in Prades making his home in the shadow of Pic Canigou. It was he who started the Predes Music Festival.

All photos from L'Independent newspaper. Source:http://www.lindependant.fr/2011/08/02/p-o-festival-pablo-casals-en-mode-extreme,47625.php