Wagner, Overture to “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”

Sir Georg Solti (1912-1997), one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, was a testament to the elegance and impeccable tastefulness of Central European music-making. Born in Budapest in 1912, he studied with Béla Bartók, Ernö von Dohnányi, Zoltán Kodály and Leo Weiner. In 1937, Toscanini chose him to be his assistant at the Salzburg Festival. After the war, Solti was appointed Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera. Further stations in his career were the Frankfurt Opera, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the London Philharmonic. His remarkable partnership with the Chicago Symphony began in 1954; he was named Music Director in 1969 and held this post for a phenomenal 22 years. He is credited with greatly extending and enhancing the orchestra’s worldwide reputation. Solti died in September 1997, just before his 85th birthday. This recording with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was made in 1976 at the Orchestra Hall in Chicago.

Wagner, Overture to “Der Fliegende Holländer”

Sir Georg Solti (1912-1997), one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, was a testament to the elegance and impeccable tastefulness of Central European music-making. Born in Budapest in 1912, he studied with Béla Bartók, Ernö von Dohnányi, Zoltán Kodály and Leo Weiner. In 1937, Toscanini chose him to be his assistant at the Salzburg Festival. After the war, Solti was appointed Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera. Further stations in his career were the Frankfurt Opera, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the London Philharmonic. His remarkable partnership with the Chicago Symphony began in 1954; he was named Music Director in 1969 and held this post for a phenomenal 22 years. He is credited with greatly extending and enhancing the orchestra’s worldwide reputation. Solti died in September 1997, just before his 85th birthday. This recording with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was made in 1976 at the Orchestra Hall in Chicago.

Wagner, Overture to “Tannhäuser”

Wagner’s overture to “Tannhäuser” is as beloved as his “Flying Dutchman” overture and also structured primarily around two themes. The first, which later becomes the motif of the Pilgrims’ Chorus, glows with all the solemnity of a chorale and unfolds with majesty, presented first by the clarinet, bassoon and horns. The second theme evokes the realm of love and is dominated by the chromatic theme of the Venusberg before the entire orchestra joins forces to intone Tannhäuser’s dazzling hymn. This recording of the “Tannhäuser” Overture dates from 1975 and is part of a special “overture” special directed by Herbert von Karajan and produced with the Berlin Philharmonic for Unitel.

Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen

Wagner’s early opera is stylistically closer to Meyerbeer and bel canto than to his later works. Director Philipp Stölzl, who started his career with video clips for Rammstein and Madonna and later turned to directing films (“North Face”, “Goethe!”) and opera, sets the story of the rise and fall of a charismatic medieval Roman leader in the 20th century. “One can make surprising analogies to the despots of this time: Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Ceausescu “, says Stölzl. Torsten Kerl is a brilliant Rienzi; his sister Irene, sung by Camilla Nylund with lyrical intensity, is paired with a lover, Adriano, who is performed by the luminous mezzo Kate Aldrich. Also worthy of praise is the chorus, which masters its demanding part with presence and precision.

Salzburg Festival 2020: Thielemann conducts Wagner & Bruckner

“Ignited monumental chamber music: Together with an orchestra that breathes with her, Garanca proved that she currently represents the non plus ultra in the mezzosoprano

category. Grandiose the fusion of intensity and noble sound” Der Standard. PROGRAM Wagner: Five Poems for female voice and piano “Wesendonck Lieder”; Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 “Romantic”