The “spectacular opening” (Salzburger Nachrichten) of the Grafenegg Festival 2018 presented at the Midsummer Night´s Gala lots of famous opera aria and orchestral hits from Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Bellini, Offenbach, Elgar and more. The Tonkunstler Orchestra under Yutaka Sado was joined by the “terrific singer” (Kurier) Pretty Yende, her “congenial partner” (Kurier) Joseph Calleja and the wonderful cellist Harriet Krijgh. “A feast for the ears” (Kurier)
The Lindsay String Quartet plays Haydn, Tippett & Elgar
For four decades until 2005, the Lindsay String Quartet (affectionately known as “The Lindsays”) was at the heart of chamber music life in Great Britain, touring globally and building a unique relationship with Sir Michael Tippett – who coached the ensemble in his music. Tippett’s powerful postwar Third Quartet is the centrepiece of this live recording from London’s flagship chamber music venue, the Wigmore Hall. In classic Lindsays style, it’s framed with a late Haydn quartet – “The Rider” – and another British classic: the troubled, poetic Quartet in E Minor by Sir Edward Elgar. At the time of this recording, the Lindsay String Quartet was probably its pre-eminent interpreter.
BR: Festive Gala with Lang Lang and Mariss Jansons
Feel like taking a world tour? Let Mariss Jansons and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks take you to Europe, America and Asia in their festive gala programme. They are joined by super star Lang Lang, who performs the dreamy Andante from Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C major as well as an excerpt from the Yellow River Concerto, a popular piece from his native China. To end the concert maestro Jansons unleashes a musical firework display with an Hungarian Dance by Brahms and Rumanian folk music by Ligeti.
Grafenegg: Midsummer Night’s Gala 2024
Ringing in the summer festival season every year, the Midsummer Night’s Gala is the Grafenegg Festival’s flagship event bringing internationally renowned performers to the Wolkenturm stage. This edition features Swiss soprano Regula Mühlemann and Samoan tenor Pene Pati, ” two wonderfully radiant voices” (k.at), and accordion player Martynas Levickis. Conductor Marta Gardolinska and the Tonkunstler-Orchestra present highlights from Smetana’s Bartered Bride, Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, Verdi’s Macbeth as well as traditional Lithuanian and Maori folk songs. Martynas Levickis highlighted new and exciting facets of old audience favourite with his accordion arrangement of Bizet’s Carmen Suite. A worthy start to the festival summer!
Grafenegg: Midsummer Night’s Gala 2022
“A nonchalant Erwin Schrott (baritone), a stormy Marlies Petersen (soprano) and a stunning Selina Ott, who does somersaults with her trumpet. Conclusion: A summer night dance over the rainbow! ” (Niederösterreichische Nachrichten) A splendid start to the open air season, full of pathos and tender whispers: every year the Midsummer Night’s Gala in Grafenegg strikes the most beautiful notes of the opera and concert repertoire. As the sun slowly descends behind the castle, the colourful sound of the Tonkunstler Orchestra ascends from the Wolkenturm, captivating listeners with its commitment and the best soloists from all over the world. In 2022, two important voices will be heard with the German soprano Marlis Peterson, who has gained international attention with her creative power, and the Uruguayan-Spanish bassbaritone Erwin Schrott, who will enchant listeners with his rich tone. These two international stars are joined by the young trumpet virtuoso Selina Ott, who is on the verge of conquering the world’s great concert halls.
Grafenegg: Midsummer Night’s Gala 2018
Stars by starlight in the traditional Midsummer Night’s Gala! Two of the great voices and one of the best cello virtuosos of our time promise a musical firework at the Wolkenturm: the South African soprano Pretty Yende and the Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, both celebrated across the world of opera, and the Dutch cellist Harriet Krijgh, with her irrepressible delight in making music. These are the famous guests with whom the Tonkunstler Orchestra and their Music Director Yutaka Sado greet the summer solstice in Grafenegg with a musical festival for all the senses.
Grafenegg: Midsummer Night’s Gala 2019
Stars by starlight in the traditional Midsummer Night’s Gala! The 2019 season at Grafenegg opens with voices and violin: Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva, French baritone Ludovic Tézier and Austrian violinist Emmanuel Tjeknavorian are accompanied by the Tonkunstler Orchestra in the romantic setting of the castle grounds. Yutaka Sado conducts a programme of arias and duets, with a firework display set to «Pomp and Circumstance».
Moment Musical – Albrecht Mayer
As concert halls are silent and theatres dark during the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic, bringing performers and audiences together demands creative solutions. C Major Entertainment, in collaboration with Arte Concert and DG, is set to launch a series of professional live relays of concerts given by artists at Berlin’s legendary Meistersaal. The programmes focus on solo or duo works. This approach limit the number of artists, technicians and backstage staff involved, in compliance with government regulations, while drawing on the endlessly rich repertoire of chamber pieces past and present. Using remote cameras, members of the audio and video crew are safely dispersed in different rooms. The third episode featuring Berlin-based oboist Albrecht Mayer and pianist Kimiko Iman.