Roberto González-Monjas, designated principal conductor of the Mozarteum Orchestra, “put an interpretive exclamation mark on his Festival premiere with a purely sacred programme”: Mozart’s Coronation Mass, the main work of the evening, is combined with two church sonatas, the famous motet “Exsultate, jubilate” for soprano and orchestra and the equally famous choral work “Ave verum corpus”. Together with a young quartet of singers led by soprano Nikola Hillebrand (in her “Exsultate” she is “crystal-clear in sound, technically precise and sensitive in interpretation”), González-Monjas provides “youthful and cheeky pathos and a breath of fresh air” (Salzburger Nachrichten)
¡Cincuentañero! – Rolando Villazón’s 50th Birthday Gala
Rolando Villazón assembles his friends, all of them prominent guests, for a festive gala concert. The first part of the performance is dedicated to his musical heartfelt friend Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, followed by “hits” from opera, operetta and popular songs from Europe and Mexico in the second part. The singers are accompanied by the Camerata Salzburg under Lithuanian conductor Giedre Šlekyte. “A showcase of great operatic voices” (Salzburger Nachrichten)
Mozart Week 2021: Barenboim & Argerich
It is hard to believe that piano legend Martha Argerich is really celebrating her 80th birthday this year – her youthful wit and shrewd piano playing certainly still excite. Particularly her concerts with longtime friend and compatriot Daniel Barenboim, whom she knows from early piano lessons in Buenos Aires, are stellar moments not to be missed. A musical star hour with Mozart’s piano sonatas for four hands from the Great Hall in the Mozarteum Salzburg. “A very beautiful and intimate concert together” Deutschlandfunk. PROGRAM Mozart: Sonata in C major for Piano Four Hands, K. 521, Andante with Five Variations in G major for Piano Four Hands, K. 501, Sonata in F major for Piano Four Hands, K. 497,
Sonata in D major for two Pianos, K. 448
Mozart’s own Violin
Christoph Koncz brings Mozart’s violin back to life: together with Les Musiciens du Louvre, the esteemed violinist plays the Violin concertos Nos. 4 & 5. Christoph Koncz plays on Mozart’s original Salzburg concert violin, made available by the International Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg. This was the violin on which Mozart had played as concertmaster in the Salzburg Hofkapelle.
Mozart Week 2021: 94 seconds of new Mozart
Premieres and sensational finds are rare but there are still miracles happening: there is hardly any other composer whose life and work have been better researched and of whose complete works we have such a precise listing. Above all, because his enterprising father Leopold had compiled a catalogue of compositions by his child prodigy already in 1768. Now the almost impossible has occurred: a new, completely unknown work by Mozart has surfaced! The Allegro in D major K 626b/16, a three-part, dance-like piano piece lasts a total of 94 seconds. Examined for authenticity by the best international Mozart scholars, it is being performed for the first time ever in Salzburg, the birthplace of the great genius. But for what occasion was it composed, how was it handed down? Ulrich Leisinger, scientific director of the Mozarteum Foundation, answers these questions in conversation with Rolando Villazón. This lecture is embedded into a concert program starring Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho and putting the new work into context. PROGRAM Piano Sonata No. 12, Piano Piece “Pimpinella”, K. 33b; Allegro from a Salzburg Music Book; Allegro, K. 626b/16 “World Premiere”. Versions available: Talk in English: 50’/ Sonata K. 332 only: 20′
Mozart Week 2021: Opening Concert
To let Mozart’s 265th birthday pass uncelebrated just because a pandemic is raging worldwide? That was out of the question for Rolando Villazón, superstar among tenors and artistic director of the Salzburg Mozart Week! To pay tribute to the great composer, he invited the audience to a large, digital celebration concert and did not miss the opportunity to warble a few arias himself. Keri-Lynn Wilson is on the podium of the Mozarteum Orchestra, Luca Pisaroni and Giulia Semenzato bring Italian fire to the stage and sing selected Mozart arias. In addition, the concerto for flute, harp and orchestra resounds in the Mozarteum’s Great Hall. Mathilde Caldérini, principal flute of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and Xavier de Maistre on the harp compete in a contest of euphony.
Mozart Week 2021: Cara Sorella Mia – Letters and music
A concert dedicated not only to Mozart as a composer, but to Mozart the universal artist: his letters to his sister Nannerl are an art in themselves and show the wit and humor of this young and lively composer. The letters are read by the famous Austrian actress, Adele Neuhauser and are embedded into the performance of Mozart’s most beautiful sonatas for violin and piano. Played by the young violinist Emmanuel Tjeknavorian on Mozart’s own original violin and at his side playing Mozart’s original piano is Marie Sophie Hauzel. The venue is the Tanzmeistersaal of Mozart’s townhouse in Salzburg. Versions available: Concert & letters only: 68′ / Concert, letters & documentary elements: 77′. PROGRAM Violin Sonata K. 302, Violin Sonata K. 378, Violin Sonata K. 304, Violin Sonata K. 304, Violin Sonata K. 526 + Letters by W. A. Mozart to his sister Maria Anna (read in German)
Mozart Week 2021: Hengelbrock conducts Mozart
Mozart’s last symphony, the popular “Jupiter Symphony” K. 551, and Mozart’s first symphony in E flat major K. 16 are on the program of this concert and show the musical development of the “child prodigy” into a genius, who, as he grew older, found his way to an ever more drastic and profound musical language. In between, the Kyrgyzstan-born soprano Katharina Konradi, one of the most exciting young voices causing a sensation in the music world, presents arias from Le nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte and
Don Giovanni, making a convincing Mozart Week debut! A star is born! “Magic moments” Drehpunkt Kultur. Program Mozart: Symphony No. 1, “Giunse alfin il momento…” – “Deh vieni non tardar” from Le nozze di Figaro, “Ach ich fühl’s, es ist verschwunden” from Die Zauberflöte, “Batti, batti, o bel Masetto” from Don Giovanni, Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”
Mozart Week 2021: Barenboim & Bartoli
La Bartoli – wherever she performs, the audience goes wild. Usually. Thanks to Covid-19, this time the Great Hall of the Mozarteum Salzburg is empty when Cecilia Bartoli, accompanied by one of the residence orchestras of the acclaimed Mozartwoche, the Vienna Philharmonic, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim sings “Ch’io mi scordi di te”. Of course always with her own technical perfection, heartfelt warmth and at the same time great gesture. No one masters playing on stage like she does, even if it is a stage in front of an empty hall. Further on the program: Mozart’s famous “Prague Symphony” as well as conductor Daniel Barenboim slipping into the role of the pianist playing the Piano Concerto in C minor K. 491. PROGRAM “Ch’io mi scordi di te?” – “Non temer, amato bene”, K. 505; “Vedrai, carino” from Don Giovanni; Piano Concerto No. 24, Symphony No. 38 “Prague Symphony”
Mozart Week 2021: Chamber Music with Members of the Vienna Philharmonic
Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet, completed on September 29, 1789, is one of the most beautiful musical friendship pieces in music history. In his circle, it was called “Stadler Quintet”, because he wrote it for the Viennese clarinettist Anton Stadler. Mozart loved the clarinet for its timbre similar to the singing voice and no other 18th century clarinettist expressed this similarity more fully than Stadler. In this concert, the famous “Stadler Quintet” can be heard in an interpretation by members of the Wiener Philharmoniker, recorded in the Great Hall of the Mozarteum Salzburg. Further on the program: the String Quartet in C major K. 157 and the Flute Quartet in D major K. 285. “Members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra provide a chamber music highlight” (Kronenzeitung)