Anna Karenina – A ballet by John Neumeier

Thomas Mann once named Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina “the greatest social novel of world literature.” When reading the novel, John Neumeier was deeply fascinated by Tolstoy’s work: not only by the main characters and the plot, but also by the extraordinary variety of thematic connections. It is a story of three families. John Neumeier states: “Tolstoy himself wrote and published ‘Anna Karenina’ as a serial story over a number of years. The feeling in the novel of a developing contemporary narrative – similar to a television series of today – is underlined by the fact that the novel does not end with the death of the title character. My challenge was therefore to give true life and relevance to the story by selecting key emotional situations and essential characters to fit within the framework of an evening-long ballet.“

Alfred Schnittke – Words Return to Music

“Schnittke (1934-98) is now established as one of Russia’s most important twentieth-century composers. This programme features the first major television interview he gave in Moscow for broadcast in the West, when he and his colleagues were able to talk freely in the wake of Gorbachev’s reforms. The film reflects the “unreal reality” he describes by using specially-shot black and white sequences and original performance extracts to create an impressionistic tapestry of biography, music and ideas.

Works featured include Violin Sonata No. 2, Symphony No. 1, Prayer of a Young Man, Three Scenes, Epilogue from Peer Gynt and the Faust Cantata.”

Schnittke, Stille Musik (Silent Music)

Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The average age is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder Gidon Kremer. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world’s major musical venues.

Schnittke, Moz-Art à la Haydn (Mozartwoche 2002)

Written in 1977 by the Russian composer Alfred Schnittke, “Moz-Art à la Haydn” is a good-natured Mozartian parody that ends with an evocation of Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony”. Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The average age is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder Gidon Kremer. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world’s major musical venues.

Schnittke, Moz-Art à la Haydn (Mozartwoche 2000)

Alfred Schnittke’s composition for two solo violins, two small string orchestras, double bass and conductor (1977) was recorded with the Camerata academica Salzburg under the direction of Dennis Russell Davies at the Mozarteum Salzburg on 29 January 2000. The work is dedicated to Tatyana Grindenko and Gidon Kremer and was given its world premiere in Tbilissi in 1983. The first performance in Western Europe took place at the Lockenhaus Festival in 1984 with Gidon Kremer. Thanks to its spirited atmosphere, this piece is one of Schnittke’s most popular works. Making his first appearance at the head of the Camerata academica Salzburg at the Mozartwoche 2000 was American conductor Dennis Russell Davies. Born in Ohio in 1944, he has guested as opera conductor at many of the most prestigious theaters of the world. In 1980 he was appointed General Music Director of the Stuttgart State Opera, and from 1987 to 1995 he fulfilled the same function in Bonn. He was then principal conductor of the Stuttgart Kammerorchester and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. He became General Music Director in Linz in fall 2002. The former “Camerata academica Salzburg” was renamed simply “Camerata Salzburg” in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival. The teaming of Dennis Russell Davies and the Camerata academica was a total success: “The conductor, in spite of his cool exterior, acted anything but coolly, and the frisky ensemble created an ideal pairing, a kind of ‘Dream Team'”, wrote a Salzburg critic.