Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Vienna’s imperial Schönbrunn Palace provides a romantic setting for this open-air concert held shortly before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship. And shining even more brightly than the palace are the stars of the evening, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazón and Plácido Domingo. The trio’s first joint concert, given at Berlin’s Waldbühne for the 2006 football World Cup, was recorded by UNITEL CLASSICA and awarded the Platinum DVD for sales of over 50,000 DVDs in Germany and over 100,000 worldwide. The Schönbrunn concert also broke records with 3.3 million viewers watching the concert live or deferred in Germany and Austria.
Making of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in Salzburg – One Day with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra – Concert 1
The idea of uniting young musicians from Israel, Palestine and various Arab countries into a musical ensemble still seems incredible today. Yet such an orchestra has been flourishing since 1999, when Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. The project, says Barenboim, brings together these young people “not so that they forget or hide their differences, but so that they can understand them.” He adds that “making music together gives us the best opportunity to learn to live with one another.” The concerts presented here were recorded at the 2007 Salzburg Festival, during the orchestras residency. The ensemble “proved its status as a first-class orchestra that has no need to shy from comparisons with the philharmonic ‘top dogs’ from Vienna or Berlin” (Munich’s Abendzeitung). Among the highlights of the concerts are Mozart’s “Sinfonia concertante” K. 297b, which gives four young soloists a chance to dazzle, and Igor Stravinsky’s “L’histoire du soldat,” an airy piece with a demanding percussion part. Songs and chamber music, including Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet, showcase the individual talents of the young players. The major orchestral concert comprises a Beethoven overture, an intricate and multi-layered piece by Schoenberg, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, the “Pathétique,” in which Barenboim pulls out all the stops and coaxes rarely heard instrumental lines and accents from the depth of his ensemble. On three afternoons, Daniel Barenboim led a musical workshop called “The School of Listening.” In the first part, Barenboim explores the phenomenon of sound and the importance of the human ear. The second part features the fiery 24-year-old conductor Robin Ticciati in a rehearsal of Beethoven’s third Leonore Overture punctuated by the Maestro’s insightful comments and heated discussions with the young conductor. In the third part the great composer and conductor Pierre Boulez rehearses Béla Bartók’s rarely played “Four Orchestral Pieces,” answering questions from the audience and the musicians. Throughout, Barenboim’s enthusiasm, humor and directness make this three-part series an exceptionally informative and entertaining event. The orchestra’s residency at the 2007 Salzburg Festival will be rounded off with the documentary “Music Is Never The Same,” available in May 2008.
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in Salzburg – Concert 1
Program: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia concertante in E flat major, K. 297b / Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner, Anton Webern: Songs and chamber musi
Tannhäuser
Wagner’s grand romantic opera Tannhäuser explores the tension between earthly desire and spiritual purity. Torn between Venus and Elisabeth, Tannhäuser represents the Romantic struggle between indulgence and guilt, with themes of love and redemption that still resonate. Lydia Steier’s production moves through Venus’ world as a variety show, the ordered society of Wartburg Castle, and a contemporary media-driven landscape. Staatsoper debutant Clay Hilley as Tannhäuser is the shining star of this new production: “Even in the most powerful forte, his voice shines so effortlessly that one thinks he still has reserves to draw on. In terms of character, Hilley shows his inner turmoil very clearly, and his stage presence is that of a professional spoken theatre actor” (Bachtrack). Günther Groissböck as Landgrave Hermann and Malin Byström as Elisabeth also deliver “vocal highlights” (Concerti). In the pit, Philippe Jordan allowed “this masterpiece to resound in all ist splendour and beauty” (Der Opernfreund).
Lohengrin
The Salzburg Easter Festival’s production of Lohengrin, directed by Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito, presents Wagner’s classic as a crime thriller in Vienna. Christian Thielemann, acclaimed Wagner expert, conducts the Vienna State Opera orchestra, while David Butt Philip shines as Lohengrin. Malin Byström’s Elsa reveals a less innocent character, and Anja Kampe delivers a powerful Ortrud. Martin Gantner’s Telramund displays precision. The production excels in stage and orchestral synergy, offering nuanced performances and delicate choral singing made possible by Thielemann’s baton. “When it comes to Wagner, Christian Thielemann really is in a class of his own” (Der Standard)
Salzburg Easter Festival 2017: Die Walküre
In 1967 the first Salzburg Easter Festival presented a now legendary production of Richard Wagner’s “Ring des Nibelungen” tetralogy, led by Herbert von Karajan. The 50th anniversary of the festival in 2017 saw a new production of “Die Walküre” by famous Bulgarian director Vera Nemirova which is set in a unique “re-creation” of this very first Salzburg Easter Festival opera production in the set by Günther Schneider-Siemssen. Christian Thielemann conducts his Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and an illustrous cast including Anja Harteros, Anja Kampe, Vitalij Kowaljow and Peter Seiffert. The critics are full of praise for this “musically ravishing Walküre” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and ist “excellent ensemble of soloists”. As Sieglinde, Anja Harteros is “enchanting and elegant”, Peter Seiffert “amazingly presents a steady and expressive Siegmund”, Christa Mayer “shows off as irresistible, throroughbred Fricka” and Anja Kampe is celebrated as “outstanding Brünnhilde” (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
Salzburg Easter Festival 2013: Parsifal
Appropriately for the Wagner anniversary year the new era of the Salzburg Easter Festival under the Artistic Direction of Christian Thielemann begins with a new production of Richard Wagner’s Parsifal with the Staatskapelle Dresden as new orchestra in residence. It will be staged by the German director Michael Schulz. The title role in Richard Wagner’s Parsifal has been cast at the highest level with Johan Botha. At the special request of Christian Thielemann, Wolfgang Koch, one of the outstanding Wagner baritones of our times, takes on two roles: Amfortas and Klingsor. The celebrated mezzo-soprano Michaela Schuster will interpret the role of Kundry. The leading Danish bass and Wagner specialist Stephen Milling will appear as Gurnemanz and the young Bulgarian bass Milcho Borovinov in the role of Titurel.
Salzburg Festival 2013: Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
One of the highlight opera productions of Salzburg Festival 2013: The new Stefan Herheim production of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, conducted by Daniele Gatti, with Michael Volle, one of the foremost German baritones as Hans Sachs and highly acclaimed Italian tenor Roberto Saccà, who for over two decades he has been singing on the stages of the world’s major opera houses, as Walther von Stolzing.
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Wagner’s ‘Meistersinger’ is a festive opera in its own right, but at the reprise of the work at the Vienna State Opera in January 2008, the festive spirit literally leapt out into the audience as well. Vienna’s dailies exploded with praise such as ‘A feast of singers’ (Der Standard), ‘A feast … grandiose’ (Die Presse) and ‘Nearly six hours of pure enjoyment’ (Kurier). The plaudits applied to all the singers, from Hans Sachs to the night watchman, as well as to the chorus and orchestra. Among the vocal surprises of this live recording is Adrian Eröd as Beckmesser, a fully fleshed-out character whose every gesture and every note reflects a well-rounded concept of the usually unsympathetic role of the critic. As Walther von Stolzing, Johan Botha is pure tenor gold, whose impressive reserves of strength allow him to sing brilliantly and effortlessly throughout the work.