The 13th Istanbul Bach Days, which is one of the most-anticipated events of the year, bringing world-renowned musicians together with Istanbulites, kicks off in December.

Recognized violin virtuoso and maestro Andres Mustonen and the Glasperlenspiel Orchestra, one of the prominent chamber orchestras of Estonia, present the opening festival concert on Dec. 7 at Grand Pera Emek Stage. Mustonen and the Estonian orchestra will present an elegant selection of J.S. Bach's most-loved compositions along with violin and clavichord concertos -- an unforgettable night for classical music lovers.

This year, concerts taking place in the Istanbul Naval Museum will be quite different from previous years: The festival, which brings the love of music to Istanbul, will create an 18th century atmosphere with the "Cafe Zimmermann" concept where the audience listens to compositions by master musicians like Bach and Telemann, while sipping their drinks just like in Gottfried Zimmermann's cafe in Leipzig.

Following the opening concert, the festival continues with a performance by the EUBO European Union Baroque Ensemble, which brings the most important baroque music virtuosos of Europe to the Istanbul Naval Museum. The orchestra will present a program composed of the most popular Baroque compositions of J.S Bach, Scarlatti, Handel and Telemann.

On the night of Dec. 20, the museum will host organ and clavichord master Benjamin Alard, who has been praised by Sigiswald Kuijken, and famous violin virtuoso François Fernandez, who has shared the stage with the best contemporary baroque orchestras in the world as a solo violinist. The union of violin and clavichord will surely enchant the audience.

The irreplaceable soprano of numerous famous operas, Myriam Arbouz from France and clavichord master Benjamin Alard offer a duo performance on Dec. 21 at the museum. The love and musical collaboration of Bach and his second wife, soloist Anna Magdelena Bach, will be commemorated in the concert with a fine selection of their musical compositions.

The festival closes its curtains with an impressive concert by violinist François Fernandez, who has won the approval of music circles for his solo recitals performing Bach's partitas and sonatas, on Dec. 22 at the museum. In the recital, which will echo the tunes of love and loneliness, Fernandez will perform Bach's A minor and G minor sonatas and D minor partita, which Bach composed due to the love and loneliness he felt following the death of his first wife.