SHMF — Sarah Willis: Mozart und Mambo (Waldbühne Norderstedt)

An Extraordinary Idea — and an International Success

Horn player Sarah Willis, a member of the Berlin Philharmonic, discovered her musical love for Cuba during a trip to Havana. She met young Cuban musicians there, and together they developed a concept that is now making international waves: Mozart und Mambo — the fusion of Viennese Classicism with hot Latin American rhythms.

The Sarahbanda

Sarah Willis performs with her ensemble «The Sarahbanda». The mix of classically trained wind players and Cuban percussionists and singers creates entirely new sound worlds from pieces like «Rondo alla Rumba» or «Sarahnade Mambo». Mozart's horn concertos meet Rumba patterns, sonata movements encounter Salsa bass.

Buena Vista Social Club Reimagined

In addition to Mozart adaptations, the program also includes classics from the Buena Vista Social Club — the nostalgic hits from the legendary Havana ensemble of the late 1990s, freshly arranged for Sarah Willis's setting. Live, this becomes a celebration of the Cuban zest for life on the North German summer stage.

Open-Air Waldbühne in Norderstedt

The Waldbühne in Norderstedt's Stadtpark is one of Schleswig-Holstein's most beautiful open-air venues — an open-air amphitheater amidst greenery, easily accessible and with a firm summer atmosphere. The organizers are the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival in cooperation with the City of Norderstedt, the Norderstedt Stadtpark, and Sparkasse Holstein.

Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival — One of Europe's Largest Classical Festivals

The SHMF was founded in 1986 and is now one of Europe's largest classical festivals. Over 100 venues in Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and Southern Denmark are used during the festival period — from the Elbphilharmonie and Schloss Salzau to village churches and riding halls. The Norderstedt Waldbühne is one of the open-air locations where the festival performs with great audience success every year.