“They languish until the last encore” Wiener Zeitung, “A deeply felt, rapturous performance” (The Guardian) A radiant concert at the Great Golden Hall of the Wiener Musikverein: Diana Damrau and Jonas Kaufmann, luminaries of the classical realm and celebrated interpreters of Lieder, breathe life into love songs of two titans of romanticism, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms. They explore love’s myriad dimensions through soul-stirring solos and mesmerizing duets in a journey through a kaleidoscope of emotions, from reverie and yearning to the bliss of fulfillment, tempered by moments of heartache, resignation, and sacrifice, charming and moving. Adding to the magic is their esteemed collaborator at the piano, the incomparable Helmut Deutsch, whose artistry enhances every note and infuses the music with an undeniable depth of expression.
Piano Duos at the Teatro Colón – Martha Argerich & Daniel Barenboim
“Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim wow their hometown of Buenos Aires” proclaimed the FAZ newspaper. This is the first time the two musicians have performed together in the city of their birth. So this concert, which formed part of the Festival de Música y Reflexión was a sort of “home game” for them, and one for which Argentinians had waited long. “The opera house has not been so packed for a long time as for the concerts featuring these two great artists.” (FAZ) “The Colón seemed to burst at the seams”. (Buenos Aires Herald) Martha Argerich delights the audience as “the untamed lioness of the keyboard” no less than Daniel Barenboim, who radiates “an unusually exuberant sparkling sound” (FAZ). Works by Mozart, Schubert and Stravinsky were followed by frenetic demands from the audience for encores and so, accompanied by three musicians from the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Argerich and Barenboim gave Schumann’s Variations for two pianos, Rachmaninoff’s Suite No. 2 and pieces by Guastavino and Milhaud. The Buenos Aires Herald summed up: a “grand tour de force”.
Teatro Colón – West-Eastern Divan Orchestra Opening Concert
“A city in a state of emergency” was the euphoric title of the article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung describing the performance of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in Buenos Aires. Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra make a guest appearance every year during their Summer Residency in several evening concerts at the Teatro Colón. With the greatest of ease, they represent one of the highlights of the Festival de Música y Reflexión: the musicians enthralled their audience with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 – the piece Martha Argerich played at her debut at the Teatro Colón at the age of eight and with which she returned to the Teatro after a prolonged abstinence – plus two premieres of works by Roustom and Adler and Ravel’s evergreens. In the Ravel in particular, the Divan musicians were able to prove “their filigree tone, their mastery of pianissimo through to the barely audible and many other merits”. (FAZ)
Kirill Gerstein & Mao Fujita in Recital
Experience an extraordinary evening of piano artistry as acclaimed pianist Kirill Gerstein appears with his brilliant protégé Mao Fujita at the Ark Hall, Tokorozawa Civic Cultural Centre. This special concert offers a rare glimpse into the powerful artistic bond between master and student. A recipient of the Gilmore Artist Award and professor at Berlin’s Hanns Eisler Hochschule, Gerstein is internationally celebrated for his imaginative interpretations and distinctive blend of classical and jazz influences. Mao Fujita, silver medalist at the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition, has rapidly emerged as one of the most compelling pianists of his generation. Schubert: Variations Op. 46; Schumann: Andante and Variations Op. 46; Ravel: La Valse; Busoni: Duettino concertante based on Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 19; Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances Op. 45; Debussy: Lindaraja; Rachmaninoff: Waltz for 4 Hands Op.11, No.4
Simon Rattle conducts Schumann and Brahms
Repertoire: Schumann, Symphony No. 4 / Brahms, Symphony No. 4
Festive Advent Concert at the Frauenkirche Dresden 2014
Elina Garanca, the star of this festal Advent concert, proves once more “that she has one of the loveliest and finest voices in the whole world”. In Georges Bizet’s “Agnus Dei”, in the “Regina Coeli” from Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, she lets her voice “shine and beam, bringing tears to many eyes”, the critics enthuse. Meanwhile Christiane Karg captivates us with her crystalclear soprano, winging its way straight to our hearts. The concert is conducted by maestro Pablo Heras-Casado, whose sensitive touch and style-conscious precision brings out to the full the particularly refined sound of the Staatskapelle. (Der neue Merker)
Sol Gabetta and Hélène Grimaud in Concert
Two outstanding artists, pianist Helene Grimaud and the cellist Sol Gabetta, performing a highly acclaimed recital in Berlin’s Philharmonic Hall. On the programme cello sonatas by DEBUSSY (D minor), BRAHMS (No. 1 op. 38) and SHOSTAKOVICH: op. 40., and furthermore SCHUMANN’s Fantasiestücke op. 73. “Both bestselling artists it’s very easy to see why they’ve joined together. There are four extremely different composers featured, each one calling for a completely different musical approach. What is particularly brilliant is that these two capture the essence of each composer and their world. Lyrical and light Debussy, heartwrenching Shostakovich, dark and brooding Brahms and the strangely whimsical Schumann. I look forward to hearing how this musical partnership matures over the coming years”.(Readings, Australia)
Grafenegg: Midsummer Night’s Gala 2025
The Midsummer Night’s Gala heralds the start of the summer festival season every year, captivating the audience and celebrating the summer against the idyllic backdrop of the extensive castle grounds. On the Wolkenturm stage, chief conductor Fabien Gabel joins star pianist and festival director Rudolf Buchbinder for their first collaboration at Grafenegg. Buchbinder, intimately familiar with the venue, performs a movement from Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor. South African mezzo-soprano Siphokazi Molteno makes her festival debut, alongside American tenor Michael Spyres, recently named Best International Opera Singer at the Oper! Awards. The programme offers a vibrant mix of opera arias, overtures, and orchestral works, featuring Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, Puccini’s Turandot, and a spotlight on French and Spanish music.
Salzburg Festival 2023: Daniil Trifonov
Grammy Award-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov has made a spectac ular ascent of the classical music world. Combining consummate technique with rare sensitivity and depth, his performances are a perpetual source of awe. “He has everything and more, […] tender ness and also the demonic element. I never heard anything like that,” marveled pianist Martha Argerich. In this Salzburg recital, the “keyboard magician” (Salzburger Nachrichten) spans the spectrum between classical and early modern. Works from Mozart, Schumann and Tchaikovsky to Skriabin, Ravel and Rachmaninoff are performed – a “witch’s work of pianistic virtuosity”. (Standard)
Grafenegg: Midsummer Night’s Gala 2021
Every year some of the world’s finest soloists meet at the Wolkenturm in Grafenegg. The Tonkünstler Orchestra, under the baton of Yutaka Sado, rolls out a scintillating carpet of sound in the Schlosspark. In 2021, soprano Rachel Willis-Sorensen, one of the most exsiting contemporary vocalists, takes charge of the Wolkenturm. Together with tenor Benjamin Bruns and the pianist and artistic director of Grafenegg, Rudolf Buchbinder, they delight the audience with masterpieces from Schumann to Lehár. The wonderful open-air setting is illuminated by a “light score” by light artist Marcus Neustetter.