Perth Concert Hall is hosting the city’s first celebration of Mozart and Burns on Saturday 28 January 2006.

The festival coincides with the birthday of the famous Scottish bard, Robert Burns and the 250th anniversary of Mozart. Why bring these two great men together? Well, why not? They both have more in common than you might think. Both were born and died within a few years of each other, both were very rebellious and both loved women.

This one-off festival of song, poetry, music and debate includes performances from Dundee’s Michael Marra, and award-winning folk songstress Karine Polwart.

Borders born Karine has recently positioned herself at the forefront of the folk-roots music scene after scooping three prizes at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in February 2005, winning Best Album, Best Original Song and the Horizon Award for Best Emerging Artist.

Saturday’s Mozart and Burns spectacular kicks off at 12 noon and presents a number of shows including the Galliard Ensemble playing two shows of Mozart’s music in Songs and Serenades , the Arioso quartet will entertain with Mozart and Burns’ verse in A Man’s a Man for a’ That and My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.

John Purser, composer and author will lead the debate entitled:When Rabbie met Wolfgang.

The day of events will come to an exciting crescendo with the Mozart+Burns closing concert at 7.30pm in the main auditorium. This show will include performances from Concerto Caledonia, Chris Norman, Michael Marra and Karine Polwart, all retelling the story of these two great men through music and song.

“This concert pays tribute to Burns by bringing two of Scotland's finest singer-songwriters to give their own interpretations of the great poet's work,” says Svend Brown, Creative Director of Classical Music at Perth Concert Hall. “Karine Polwart and Michael Marra will be breaking new ground personally, performing some songs for the first time in specially created arrangements together with Concerto Caledonia, the 18th century backing band to die for.”

The evening’s closing concert is priced £15 and £10 concessions, day events are £5 and £3 concessions.

To book call the box office on 0845 612 6319 or book online on www.horsecross.co.uk