More than 140 concerts and a multitude of celebrated recordings connect Christian Thielemann with the traditional Viennese orchestra. The live recording of his debut on the podium at the Vienna Musikverein almost 23 years ago promptly became a reference recording. On the programme then as now: Richard Strauss’ monumental Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony). This work, often regarded as the final and climax of the “symphonic poem” genre, is juxtaposed with Arnold Schönberg’s probably most famous tonal composition, the orchestral version of the string sextet Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night). “A truly persuasive performance.” (The New York Times)
Salzburg Festival 2022: Christian Thielemann & Elina Garanca
“What a sound pleasure, what a playing culture! […] Bruckner’s ‘Ninth’ without burdens, without any heaviness. Symphony in Schubert’s sense, seductive, apollonian.” (Kronenzeitung) To mark the bicentenary of Anton Bruckner’s birth in 2024, Christian Thielemann, the Wiener Philharmoniker and Unitel record the first Bruckner cycle with a single conductor in the orchestra’s history. After a truly magnificent performance of the Seventh Symphony in 2021, the stellar conductor returns to the Salzburg Festival with the Ninth to finish the cycle. In the first part of the concert, Christian Thielemann joins forces with Latvian star mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca and the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor for Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody. PROGRAM: Brahms: Alto Rhapsody for voice, male chorus and orchestra, Op. 53; Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D minor
Christian Thielemann conducts Bruckner & Strauss
“The Vienna Philharmonic, conductor Christian Thielemann and composer Anton Bruckner – this is a combination that music lovers can really enjoy.” (Kurier) Christian Thielemann has become known as an expert in late Romantic repertoire. In this concert, he conducts one of the least performed Bruckner Symphonies, the sixth, which will be heard, along with Richard Strauss’s melancholy, serene Four Last Songs with Camilla Nylund. The program is part of the first Bruckner cycle with Christian Thielemann and the Wiener Philharmoniker. PROGRAM: R. Strauss: Malven (arranged by Wolfgang Rihm), Vier letzte Lieder; A. Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 in A major, WAB 106
Salzburg Easter Festival 2021: Christian Thielemann & Denis Matsuev
Since 2013, Christian Thielemann has led the Easter Festival as artistic director. Due to Covid-19, the 2021 edition was moved to autumn. Together with the Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann presented Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto with Denis Matsuev, one of the most sought-after pianists of his generation. The second part featured the symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss, one of the orchestra’s showpieces. “Thielemann attached immense importance to subtleties and also took time to savour the phrases. The soloists from his own ranks also proved to be excellent, especially concertmaster Matthias Wollong with his long violin solo. Standing ovations.” (Kurier) PROGRAM Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor; Lyadov: The Music Box, Op. 32; Strauss: Ein Heldenleben
Thielemann conducts Bruckner “Study Symphony” & “Nullte”
To mark Anton Bruckner’s bicentenary in 2024, Christian Thielemann, the Wiener Philharmoniker and Unitel are recording the first Bruckner cycle with a single conductor in the orchestra’s history. “Two premieres: With the Study Symphony and the and the ‘Nullte’, the Wiener Philharmoniker under Christian Thielemann continued their Bruckner cycle in the empty Musikverein. For orchestra and conductor, these were first encounters. The result can already be said to be of great caliber.” Kronen Zeitung. PROGRAM Bruckner: Symphony in F minor, WAB 99 (Study Symphony), Symphony in D minor, WAB 100 (Nullte)
Salzburg Festival 2021: Thielemann conducts Mahler & Bruckner
After a truly magnificent performance of the Fourth Symphony in 2020, the stellar conductor returns to the Salzburg Festival with the Seventh Symphony, one of Bruckner’s most popular works. In the first part of the concert, Christian Thielemann joins forces with Latvian star soprano Elina Garanca for Mahler’s Lieder. “Expressive but without false pathos, he shapes the Rückert Lieder – audibly inspired by the magnificent Elina Garanca, whose perfectly focused voice sounds wonderfully sensual. A haunting evening”, hailed br-klassik.de. PROGRAM Mahler: Rückert-Lieder; Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
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”
Thielemann conducts Bruckner No. 2
Christian Thielemann’s brilliant interpretation of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 2 is superbly performed by the Staatskapelle Dresden and concludes its critically acclaimed Bruckner Cycle with a concert at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. The orchestra makes skilled use of the new hall’s clear acoustics, filling the space with its warm sound: simply phenomenal! A concert that “will go down in the annals of the Elbphilharmonie” (Die Welt).
Thielemann conducts Strauss
A magical evening at the Salzburg Festival: soprano Renée Fleming, conductor Christian Thielemann and the Wiener Philharmoniker perform works by Richard Strauss – ‘one of those musical events that prove that excellence truly is possible’ (El País). In her interpretation of four songs for voice and orchestra by Richard Strauss, along with a scene from ‘Arabella’, Fleming wanders along the summits of vocal artistry as a diva who dares to project the innermost emotions of the music she sings. Without a trace of bombast or heaviness, Thielemann and the Philharmoniker elaborate, as Der Standard writes, ‘a new vision of the Alpine Symphony’ that is characterized by a ‘chamber-musiclike transparency’.