New Year’s Eve Concert 2016 from Dresden

The festive gala concerts at the Semperoper Dresden count among the most splendid classical music events and constitute a highlight programme of German television. Once again, Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden grant big entertainment presenting a “romantic feast” (Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten) for which no expense has been spared. It contains cheerful melodies outside the standard symphonic repertoire, among them violin-miniatures by Fritz Kreisler, Tchaikovsky’s fantasy overture Romeo and Juliet and the overture of Rossinis’s Guillaume Tell. The concert’s centrepiece is Max Bruch’s radiant Violin Concerto No. 1, played by soloist Nikolaj Znaider “with high virtuosity, but in a delicate and sensitive manner, with endless soul and emotion.”

Golden Times – Thomas Hampson & The Philharmonics

“Golden Times” in Vienna: “When Hampson and the fabulous Philharmonics make music together, it’s a joy to behold” (Kurier). “Absolute virtuosity. Consummate vocalism” (Kronen Zeitung). “Breathtaking. The audience went wild” (Österreich). Star baritone Thomas Hampson is partnered by a “sensational ensemble” (Kronen Zeitung) – four virtuosos from the Vienna Philharmonic, one from the Berlin Philharmonic plus two gifted brothers – in brilliantly arranged favourites from Viennese operetta, Broadway and Hollywood musicals and much more – a deliciously entertaining evening at the Vienna Konzerthaus.

The Philharmonics in Vienna

The soloists of The Philharmonics – an ensemble made up of musicians from the Vienna Philharmonic – performing Johann Strauß’s waltzes arranged by Arnold Schönberg, Anton Webern und Alban Berg in an original Viennese Coffeehouse. PROGRAMME: ROSEN AUS DEM SÜDEN arr. by Arnold Schoenberg / KAISERWALZER arr. by Arnold Schoenberg / LAGUNENWALZER arr. by Arnold Schoenberg (after Motives from the Opera ‘Eine Nacht in Venedig’) / WEIN, WEIB UND GESANG arr. by Alban Berg / SCHATZWALZER arr. by Anton Webern (from the Operetta ‘Der Zigeunerbaron’), ALT WIEN Godowski, MARCHE MINIATURE VIENNOIS Fritz Kreisler, SCHÖN ROSMARIN Fritz Kreisler, CAPRICE VIENNOIS Fritz Kreisler, YIDDISHE MAME arr. by Tibor Kovac.