After all the cultural cancellations and artistic deprivations of late, an expectant crowd of fans gathered in front of their computer, laptop or mobile phone screens to watch the streamed opening concert of the Sommets Musicaux.

Tuesday evening, 7.28pm. I sit in front of my laptop – almost a little reverently – at home on the couch in casual clothes, but in an expectant and slightly solemn mood, just like before a “real” Sommet Musicaux concert in the church of Saanen. Waiting with me – no doubt just as eagerly – are already 443 other fans of classical music. A countdown flickers over the screen and ... “c’est parti”!

Absolutely live
This first streamed live concert was performed by pianist and long-time festival supporter Martha Argerich and violinist and artistic director of the Sommets, Renaud Capuçon. They played Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata in front of empty pews, but nevertheless wonderfully committed and devoted, followed by the Sonata for Violin and Piano by Caesar Franck.

The live character of the performance becomes even clearer when Argerich is not quite satisfied with the beginning of the second piece and asks Capuçon to start again; the intervention is absolutely natural, the virtual audience enjoys an unedited live concert.

In the course of the broadcast, more and more internauts join in, the first of a total of five concert evenings ends with over a thousand spectators. My personal résumé is quite positive: I do miss the flair of the church, the physical presence of the artists and even that of the other spectators, but given the current restrictions this streamed live event comes relatively close to the pleasure of a “real” concert evening.

All for the arts
Livestreaming is of course expensive, but the festival's director, Ombretta Ravessoud, is grateful for the financial support of the Canton of Bern, the municipality of Saanen, sponsors, patrons and many other art lovers. The artists were also happy to be able to perform at all and waived part of their fees.

Implementation of regulations
The organisers took the five-person rule very seriously. During the concerts, only the artists, the page-turners and a technical manager for the streaming were present. The rest of the technical team stayed in the chapel next to the church with all the equipment.

BASED ON AVS/SONJA WOLF