Easter has its tradition of finding hidden eggs, so we’d like to send you on a hunt with a little game of our own. If you’re able to answer the following question correctly, you can win two free tickets to the Concentus Musicus Wien’s upcoming concert with Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

Johannes Nicolaus, Count of la Fontaine and of Harnoncourt-Unverzagt: such is the official full name of the musician whose repertoire is the subject of our little quiz. He was born on St. Nicholas Day in 1929. His father was a structural engineer whose family descended from a line of ancient Luxembourgian-Lothringen nobility, and his mother—the Countess of Meran and Freiin of Brandhofen—was a granddaughter of the Habsburg Archduke Johann. Early on, their son determined to renounce conventional wisdom so as to arrive at his own conclusions. This principle led him to spearhead the reevaluation of performance practice in the interpretation of baroque and classical music, with an influence that has been second to none. He remains convinced to this day: “Art is always oppositional and independent. It can be neither tamed nor co-opted.”

Now for the quiz: Which of the following pieces has Nikolaus Harnoncourt not yet conducted?

A.     Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"
B.     Verdi's "Aida"
C.     Lortzing's "Zar und Zimmermann"
D.     Johann Strauss's "The Gypsy Baron"

If you know the correct answer, you can win two tickets to the Harnoncourt concert of March 21. Please e mail your answer by March 8 2010 to: info@lucernefestival.ch. From all entries received we will select three parties to win each two tickets. The results will not be subject to legal contest. 

Learn more about the oratorios by Ludwig van Beethoven that Maestro Harnoncourt will conduct in a pre-concert talk at 5.30 p.m. in the concert hall. Erwin Ortner, director of the Arnold Schoenberg Choir, will answer questions posed by Susanne Stähr and will discuss his partnership with Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

More about the concert