Acclaimed by critics as an evening of superlative, Martha Argerich – arguably the greatest living pianist – joins Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra for an unforgettable interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto. Argerich’s playing is full of astonishing virtuosity and uncompromising, alternating with breakneck passages and tender tones: “Martha Argerich is and remains unique” (Die Presse). In addition to Tchaikovsky’s brilliant piece, Schubert’s Symphony “Unfinished” is played, a work that has never been performed during the composer’s lifetime, as well as Lutoslawski’s Concerto for Orchestra, completed in 1945 – a highly demanding technical piece that challenges orchestra members as virtuosos. PROGRAM Schubert: Symphony No 7; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No 1; Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra
Salzburg Festival 2018: Barenboim conducts Tchaikovsky and Debussy
Special experiences await you at this concert: “It was like a bath of ice, cocaine, and rainbows,” remarked the American writer Henry Miller of the effect made on him by Alexander Scriabin’s orgiastic orchestral fantasy Le Poème de l’extase. No wonder, when it comes to a composer regarded as a visionary who touched on the very limits of madness. Scriabin even saw himself as a kind of Prometheus and declared: “The world lives in my consciousness, as my act of creation.” Claude Debussy also experienced a mystical moment when he conceived his impressionist tone poem La Mer. With this music, he wished not to create a musical depiction of the roaring waves and sparkling water but rather to reflect the impression that the play of the waves awakened within him. Impressive in any case is how Lisa Batiashvili performs the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. According to the Guardian, she is a gifted storyteller, while the Wiener Standard praised her bright violin sound, comparing it to “a ray of light.” PROGRAM Tchaikovsky: Polonaise from Eugene Onegin; Violin Concerto in D major op. 35; Debussy: La Mer; Skrjabin: Le Poème de l’extase op. 54
Iolanta
“Lyrical, rich, uplifting, moving” (Die Presse) In a production that is truly “a feast for the eyes” (Salzburger Nachrichten), director Evgeny Titov sets the story of the blind princess Iolanta in a visually magnificent but mysterious flower garden. The musical performances complete this baroque painting come to life, led by Sonya Yoncheva with her “gloriously rich” (Opera Now) soprano. The orchestra under Tugan Sokhiev convices with a “sonically intense” interpretation (Kronenzeitung). “Titov’s staging received heroic performances from all concerned, led by Yoncheva who absolutely sang her heart out as Iolanta. Her top was thrilling, matched in duet by tenor Dmytro Popov, and her acting was utterly believable” (Opera Now)
Salzburg Festival 2018: Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades)
Russian literature is unimaginable without Pushkin. It feeds on Pushkin, it breathes Pushkin. During his brief life – he died at the age of 38 – he produced a torrent of the most wonderful poems, plays and stories. Pushkin wrote the novella The Queen of Spades in 1833 in the course of a few days and “in a cold fury” – brief, sharply accentuated and focused on psychology. More than 50 years later, Tchaikovsky turned to this tale for an opera. Mariss Jansons conducts the Vienna Philharmonic, Hans Neuenfels directs Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades at the Großes Festspielhaus. Hanna Schwarz appears as the Countess. Evgenia Muraveva sings Lisa, Brandon Jovanovich is Herman, Vladislav Sulimsky appears as Count Tomsky / Plutus, and Igor Golovatenko is Prince Yelezky. “A triumph for conductor Mariss Jansons at the helm of the Wiener Philharmoniker” (FAZ); “Mr. Neuenfels draws gripping performances from a strong cast.” (NY Times)
At home with Daniil Trifonov
Captivating his audience with passionate but perfectly controlled energy, Daniil Trifonov is a true musical phenomenon. Wishing to get away from the concert halls he is accustomed, we follow this great pianist on an intimate journey, from a Parisian Jazz Club to the streets of New York via the peace and quiet of his home in the Connecticut forest. A. SCRIABIN Sonata No. 9; P. I. TCHAIKOVSKY Children’s Album; S. RACHMANINOFF Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14; M. RAVEL Gaspard of the Night J. S. BACH/S. RACHMANINOFF Partita No. 3 in E major. Prelude; S. PROKOFIEV Sarcasm, Op. 17
Lang Lang in Versailles
Lang Lang & Chopin have long been a winning combination – already celebrated worldwide for his Chopin interpretation, Lang Lang selects the four virtuosic and well known “Scherzi” to display his interpretative ability and renowned technical command, as well as the rarer performed Tchaikovsky “The Seasons”. Filmed at the legendary Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) in the Palace of Versailles “Château de Versailles”.
Nelsons conducts Mozart and Tchaikovsky
This concert is devoted to Andris Nelsons’ assumption of the position of Gewandhauskapellmeister. It marks the beginning of the highly promising Tchaikovsky cycle by Andris Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester. Andris Nelsons: “Being appointed as the next Gewandhauskapellmeister of the Gewandhausorchester is a completely overwhelming honour. This extraordinary orchestra and its wonderful musicians are unique in so many respects, and particularly in their creation of an exceptional sound world based on outstanding tradition that is, at its heart, inspirational.” PROGRAM Mozart: Symphony K. 550; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6
RCO: Luisi conducts Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky
Fabio Luisi conducts two intensely romantic Russian works: Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony and Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with master pianist Yefim Bronfman, artist in residence with the Concertgebouworkest. The soloist performing this compelling piano concerto is the star turn of the programme. Yefim Bronfman has been a popular guest with the Concertgebouworkest for twenty years, but has never before performed Rachmaninoff at Concertgebouworkest! Now at last we had the chance to hear how this connoisseur of the Russian repertoire approaches this marvellous work. PROGRAM Tchaikovsky; Symphony No. 6; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3.
Rachlin conducts Tchaikovsky
Pianist Denis Matsuev and his good friend, the violinist Julian Rachlin, perform in the venerable Moscow Conservatory. On this occasion, the artists dare to try something new: instead of his violin, Julian Rachlin reaches for the conductor’s baton to conduct a piece which he, with his violin, would neve approach. Together and for the first time, they give an interpretation of a work put to paper by Tchaikovsky in the Moscow of 1874: his Piano Concerto No. 1 as well as the Symphony No. 5.
Nelsons conducts Tchaikovsky and Weinberg
With this concert, Andris Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester continue their Tchaikovsky cycle. They are joined by star trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger who plays Mieczyslaw Weinberg‘s Trumpet Concerto, which Shostakovich described as a symphony for trumpet and orchestra. PROGRAM Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4; Weinberg: Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra