This highly acclaimed production from the Bayerische Staatsoper was a veritable sensation and a double revelation. That of the powerful and fascinating re-interpretation of Antonín Dvo?ák’s fairy-tale opera “Rusalka” and that of the young, up-and-coming Latvian soprano, Kristine Opolais, whose performance was hailed by the press as “one of the most vivid and striking accomplishments seen on an opera stage in a long time” (Vienna’s daily “Der Standard”). With her velvety soprano, her captivating beauty and her tremendous stage presence, Opolais perfectly embodies the role of the water nymph who becomes a human in order to find love, but loses all hope when her prince is seduced by a sensual princess.
Requiem Op.89
The music of the quintessentially Czech composer Dvorák is, above all, enjoyable and is a perennial favourite in the Romantic repertoire. This series of concerts is performed by the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the Prague Philharmonic Choir, with three leading Czech conductors on the podium: Petr Altrichter, Jirí Belohlávek and Libor Pesek. Guest soloists include soprano Lucia Popp, alto Eva Randová, tenor Josef Protschka, bass Peter Mikulás, pianist Igor Ardasev, violinist Ivan Zenaty and cellist Mischa Maisky. VOLUME VI includes the world’s famous Requiem.
Salzburg Wind Orchestra Gala with Martin Grubinger
A century after its collapse, the Danube Monarchy lives on – in the Waltz, the March, the Csárdás and the Polka. In a splendid gala concert the Bläserphilharmonie Mozarteum Salzburg, led by Hansjörg Angerer, brings the glamour of the world empire to life. The masterpieces of the leading composers who worked during the last hundred years of the Habsburg Monarchy are lively and triumphant, soulful and melancholic. Percussion superstar Martin Grubinger shines with a rousing performance of a specially arranged percussion suite. For the grand finale there is but one choice: The Blue Danube, the posthumous “national anthem” of the Danube Monarchy.
Salzburg Festival 2012: Zurich Ballet and the Hagen Quartet
A singular project is staged at the Salzburg Festival with the famous Felsenreitschule as a backdrop: for the first time the renowned Hagen Quartet appears at the festival accompanied by a dance company. The Swiss grand master of dance Heinz Spoerli presents three works he choreographed for his Zurich Ballet set to three of the great works of the quartet literature: Leos Janácek’s string quartet “Intimate Letters”, Antonín Dvorák’s “American Quartet” and Franz Schubert’s string quartet “The Death and the Maiden”.
BBC Proms 2019: Jakub Hruša conducts Dvorák and Smetana
Czech conductor Jakub Hruša returns with two popular masterpieces from his homeland. With its song-like slow movement and irrepressible, folk-infused finale, Dvorák’s Violin Concerto is one of the best-loved in the repertoire. American virtuoso Joshua Bell joins the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra as soloist. Journey through the Czech countryside in the second half with Smetana’s symphonic suite Má vlast – a colourful celebration of a nation’s landscape, castles and warriors, with the sweeping melody of ‘Vltava’ at its heart. “An absolute triumph” (The Daily Telegraph) PROGRAM Dvorák: Violin Concerto; Smetana: Má vlast (‘My Country’)
BBC Proms 2019: Karina Canellakis conducts Dvorák and Janácek
Janácek’s monumental Glagolitic Mass, steeped in Moravian rhythms, is heard alongside Dvorák’s fairy-tale tone-poem The Golden Spinning Wheel and and a World Premiere by Zosha Di Castri, a new work that marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s mission to the Moon. Karina Canellakis conducts the massed forces of the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, BBC Singers and soloists in one of the 20th century’s great choral masterpieces. “The performance of the season” (The Times) PROGRAM Zosha Di Castri: Long Is the Journey – Short Is the Memory; Dvorak: The Golden Spinning Wheel; Janacek: Glagolitic Mass
BBC Proms 2014: Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich
“This beautiful Prom marked the end of an era. David Zinman’s final concert as chief conductor of the Zurich Tonhalle was a superb example of his intelligent musicianship” (The Guardian). Program: RICHARD STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28 / ANTONIN DVORÁK Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53 / LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”, Op. 68
Zubin Mehta for his 80th – The Gala Concert in Mumbai
On April 29, 2016, Zubin Mehta will celebrate his 80th birthday. On April 17, however, he will offer himself a birthday present of his own, together with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which has appointed him Musical Director for Life. The event will take place in the new National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mehta’s birthplace, Mumbai, in India.
It will be a celebratory concert with works by three of Mehta’s favorite composers: The program will include Dvoráks “Carnival Overture”, Beethoven’s Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 61 as well as Ravels’ “La Valse” and the second suite of “Daphnis & Chloé”. Pinchas Zukerman, one of Mehta’s closest colleagues – who has also always had a close connection to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra – will be the soloist.
Andris Nelsons conducts Dvorak
When Nelsons steps up to the podium of the Gewandhausorchester in March 2018 as its new musical director, Leipzig will indeed undergo a makeover. Apart from Felix Mendelssohn, his famous predecessor, he is the youngest conductor in the history of the orchestra beingthen only 37 years old. In this program Nelsons focuses on Dvorák – the “Otello” overture is followed by extracts from his opera Rusalka. Nelsons’ spouse, Kristine Opolais, takes over the arias of the title role, which she has already performed at the New York Met and the Bavarian State Opera. The fact that Nelsons also selected Dvorák’s 9th “From The New World” can be seen as a programmatic omen: Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester now enter new territory, so to speak, on a joint musical journey.
Dvorak in Prague: A Celebration
Some of classical music’s most renowned performers come together in the beautiful Old World setting of Prague to celebrate the work of the Czech Romantic composer Anton Dvorak. Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, opera singer Frederica Von Stade, and Rudolf Firunsky are soloists in performances of several of Dvorak’s most moving works. The Prague Philharmonic Chorus and the Boston Symphony Orchestra provide the lush background music, and the entire extravaganza is overseen by conductor Seiji Ozawa.