Daniel Barenboim returns to Mariss Jansons and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) for a very special collaboration – ten years after his first performance as piano soloist with them. Together they present a stunning rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto. Hardly any other musician has studied the works of Beethoven as thoroughly as Barenboim and he turns the second movement into something special indeed: the calmness and intimacy of the Adagio is second to none. “No other piano player creates such a magical atmosphere in the quiet passages; no other is capable of stopping time hypnotically like this.” (Abendzeitung) The second part of the night is devoted to Sergei Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony. Here, the BRSO soars to great achievements in sound, creating a finale “with vertiginous vehemence and power of sound” (Bachtrack). PROGRAM: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5; Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Gergiev conducts the complete Prokofiev Symphonies
As the highlight of the MPHIL 360° festival, Valery Gergiev performs all seven symphonies by Sergei Prokofiev with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mariinsky Orchestra in the Philharmonie Munich. In this “grandiose exhibition of the composer’s oeuvre” (BR Klassik), Gergiev delivers a stunning rendition of Prokofiev’s symphonic cycle 1-7, from the first symphony, which Prokofiev himself named the “Classical”, as ist style is very close to that of Joseph Haydn, to the much-loved Symphony No. 5 and the composer’s beautiful last symphony with its lyrical qualities. The Russian star conductor leads his musicians with minimal movements through Prokofiev’s phantasmagoria of sound. He excels in bringing the little details of the compositions to life – it is nothing short of an “intoxication which Gergiev so irresistibly generates!” (Süddeutsche Zeitung)
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Russian star conductor Valery Gergiev leads the Mariinsky Orchestra in a captivating rendition of Sergei Prokofiev’s symphonic fairy tale for children Peter and the Wolf in the Philharmonie Munich at the MPHIL 360° festival. One of the most beautiful explanatory works, which gives young listeners an understanding of the orchestral instruments, Peter and the Wolf famously attributes each character of its tale a corresponding instrument in the orchestra. To the delight of the children in the audience, a committed Gergiev and his musicians bring the fairy tale to life with the help of German kids’ TV presenter Malte Arkona, who charmingly voices the different parts. In the hometown of his German orchestra, the star conductor’s Petersburg orchestra shines with a wonderful warm, dark tone. “The Gasteig was buzzing during MPHIL 360°. More of this, please!” (BR Klassik)
Prokofiev – The Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 1-4
On the occasion of Sergej Prokofiev’s 125th birthday, building on the success of the 2015 Prokofiev marathon, which featured all Piano Concertos of the Russian composer, Prokofiev specialist Valery Gergiev presented two concerts at the MPHIL 360° festival containing Prokofiev’s complete piano sonatas as well as selected sonatas by Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti. Four emerging, prizewinning piano talents from Russia and the USA were invited: Dmitry Masleev, George Li, Lukas Geniušas and Sergej Redkin. A “cunning and excentric” show, “brilliantly played” by the pianists (Süddeutsche Zeitung). PROGRAM: Vol. 1 (A 055 50614 0000, appr. 35′): Prokofiev Sonatas No. 1, No. 2 & No. 3 and Scarlatti Sonata K. 141 – Dmitry Masleev; Vol. 2 (Cat. no. A 055 50615 0000, appr. 50′): Prokofiev Sonatas No. 4 & No. 6 and Scarlatti Sonata K. 380 – George Li; Vol. 3 (A 055 50616 0000, appr. 45′): Prokofiev Sonatas No. 5 & No. 7 and Scarlatti Sonata K. 450 – Lukas Geniušas; Vol. 4 (A 055 50617 0000, appr. 60′): Prokofiev Sonatas No. 8 & No. 9 and Scarlatti Sonata K. 193 – Sergej Redkin
The Prokofiev Marathon
This suite of five concerts at Munich’s Philharmonic Hall performed by the Münchner Philharmoniker, the Mariinsky Orchestra and several soloists, forms part of the MPhil 360° Festival. The MPhil 360° Festival is a new festival which marks the beginning of Valery Gergiev’s collaboration with the Münchner Philharmoniker. Core of the program of the festival’s first edition are the five piano concertos of Prokofiev who enter into a dialogue with history and modern age. All of Prokofiev’s piano concertos are complemented by works of the German musical literature. PROGRAM: Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1, Symphony No. 1, Haydn: Symphony No. 82
The Odeonsplatz Concert – “Spanish Night”
The ballet music “El sombrero de tres picos” by Spain’s Manuel de Falla, with its three dances that characterize three Spanish regions, opened the lively proceedings in the open air. It was complemented by the Iberian influences in the other works written by composers outside Spain, such as Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto (performed by star violinist Julia Fischer), that shows clear signs of Spanish influence in the rhythm and melody. The musicians rounded off this Spanish night in Munich with Claude Debussy’s homage to Spain, “Ibéria”, and Maurice Ravel’s “Alborada del gracioso”.
War and Peace
This ‘War and Peace’ will go down as a milestone in Jurowski’s tenure at the State Opera, and in Tcherniakov’s often divisive career. They rise to meet the moment, overcoming the work’s near untenability not only to argue for its place in the canon, but also to use it as a vehicle for a passionate statement against Russian nationalism.” (The New York Times) Prokofiev’s opera War and Peace is one of the monumental works in opera history and rarely performed because of its sheer violence and complexity: More than 70 characters are cast for this four-hour opera, which is based on Tolstoy’s masterpiece. With the appropriate preparation time, the Bayerische Staatsoper, one of the world’s top opera houses, has taken on this major work under the baton of its general music director Vladimir Jurowski and staged by Dmitri Tcherniakov, one of the most celebrated directors and born and raised in Russia – at the same time an expert on the subject.
Betrothal in a Monastery
At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Dmitri Tcherniakov stages Prokofiev’s lyrical comic opera Betrothal in a Monastery under Daniel Barenboim’s baton. The Russian director recasts the complete opera as therapeutic role play for “Opera-Addict Anonymus”. Daniel Barenboim conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin and “the uniformly excellent cast” (Financial Times), led by Aida Garifullina, Bogdan Volkov and Stephan Rügamer among others. “Musically, this performance is a celebration in every respect”, praises BR Klassik.
John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet
55 years after its premiere, the Stuttgart Ballet revisits John Cranko’s legendary Romeo and Juliet – the very choreography which laid the foundations for the “Stuttgart Ballet Miracle”, the company’s meteoric rise to fame. In this anniversary performance of the stunning, timeless production, experienced Cranko-performers and highly talented young dancers share the stage to tell the most famous love story of all time. John Cranko, who led the Stuttgart Ballet from 1961 until his death in 1973, created the choreography of Romeo and Juliet especially for his ensemble. Set to the superb score by Sergei Prokofiev, William Shakespeare’s story about two star-crossed lovers, caught in their families’ feuds, offers dramatic roles for the top-notch soloists: Elisa Badenes shines as “youthful, fresh, entirely natural and spontaneous Juliet”, while her partner David Moore dances a Romeo who is “expressing his love with the greatest sensitivity” (Der Neue Merker).
Salzburg Festival 2024: The Gambler
Based on a short novel by Dostoyevsky, Prokofiev’s The Gambler unfolds in the fictional casino town of Roulettenburg, where a variety of characters converge and clash. These characters include a General indebted to a covetous Marquis, the General’s resentful stepdaughter Polina, and Alexey, who harbors feelings for her. Director Peter Sellars, known for his insightful interpretations of overlooked masterpieces, challenges us to mirror the bravery of Dostoyevsky and Prokofiev – the courage to confront our inner darkness. The musical direction of Russian conductor Timur Zangiev shines together with the vocal performances of the exceptional cast:”Asmik Grigorian portraying a passionate Polina, and Sean Panikkar delivering a powerful performance as Alexei” (Financial Times).