Hugo von Hofmannsthal called ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’, which he created in close collaboration with Richard Strauss, one of the ‘most delicate of structures’. Indeed, in its complexity, the work truly does represent something utterly unique. Emily Magee and Roberto Saccà are radiant in their role debuts as Ariadne and Bacchus, just as Elena Mosuc’s Zerbinetta is incomparably dazzling and Michelle Breedt’s Composer profoundly touching. Christoph von Dohnányi, one of the great Strauss interpreters of our time, probes the depths of the incredibly finely-spun score with an elegant feel for sound, and ensures a perfect balance between operetta-like lightness and a tragic operatic tone.
Salome
From the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 1997 Staged for the Royal Opera, Luc Bondy’s Salome is a terrifying study of a family of degenerates. Never decadent, it is about decay. Spare and severe, it is staged in close focus in the bowels of Herod’s palace, with every small exchange of his monstrous family spotlit in a dismal and cavernous space. The characterisations of Catherine Malfitano, Bryn Terfel, Kenneth Riegel and Anja Silja are exceptionally powerful. Conductor Christoph von Dohnányi draws every strand and fleck of colour from Strauss’s cauldron of a score. (Sung in German)
Fidelio
“Those in search of a thoroughly teutonic Fidelio should speed to The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It moves swiftly and surely, is powerfully cast and is conducted with fine muscular authority by Christoph von Dohnányi,” wrote The Times of this production by Adolf Dresen, which starred Gabriela Benacková and Josef Protschka. Designed in an austere but traditional style by Margit Bardy, it conveys Beethoven’s theme – the triumph of love and freedom over the forces of evil and oppression – with a natural, unadorned simplicity.
In Rehearsal: Christoph von Dohnanyi
Featuring some of today’s leading conductors in rehearsal, this series gives a unique
insight into the process of creating great music. The conductors’ very different styles and
methods; the dialogue between an orchestra and an inspired interpreter; the intensity of the
preparations for a concert performance; and the struggle towards perfection are captured in these
revealing audio-visual records. Most episodes include a full run-through of the work rehearsed.
All include interviews with the conductor who is seen at work. Pierre Boulez rehearses the Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra for a performance of Alban Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra Op. 6 and his
own composition Notations I-IV . Directed by Felix Breisach 57’ R7117 Christoph von Dohnányi
rehearses Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G with the Philharmonia. Directed by Barrie Gavin 59’ R7116
Sir John Eliot Gardiner works with the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists on J. S.
Bach’s Cantata No. 63. The soloists are Ann Monoyios (soprano), Sara Mingardo (alto), Rufus
Müller (tenor), and Stephan Loges (bass). Directed by Manfred Waffender 59’ R0759 Valéry Gergiev
works with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra on Prokofiev’s Scythian Suite Op. 20. Directed by
Rob van den Berg 59′ R7113 Mariss Jansons prepares Bartók’s Miraculous Mandarin Suite with the
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Directed by Morten Thomte 55′ R0756 Zubin Mehta rehearses the Israel
Philharmonic Orchestra for a performance of Richard Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche
Op. 28. Directed by Peter Berggren 55′ R7112 Esa-Pekka Salonen rehearses and performs Debussy’s
impressionistic orchestral piece, La Mer, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Directed
by Peter Berggren 56′ R7115
Bartók, The Miraculous Mandarin, Suite, op. 19
A versatile and highly respected conductor, Christoph von Dohnányi has pursued a remarkable career both in Europe and the United States. After completing a long tenure as musical director and manager of the Frankfurt Opera, he was appointed to the same posts at the Hamburg State Opera. In 1984 he succeeded Lorin Maazel as principal conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. He became first guest conductor of the London Philharmonic in 1994 as well. His commitment to new music is evident both in concert and in recordings. He led the premieres of Henze’s “Der junge Lord” and “Die Bassariden”. The “Miraculous Mandarin” was recorded in 1977 at Vienna’s Musikvereinssaal in a concert also featuring Richard Strauss’s “Burleske” and Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” Symphony.
Mendelssohn, Symphony No.3 in A minor, op.56 “Scottish”
One of the leading conductors of our time, Christoph von Dohnanyi was born in Berlin in 1929 and studied law in Munich after the war, later deciding to devote himself exclusively to music. His most important teacher was his grandfather, the composer Ernst von Dohnanyi, with whom he studied at the University of Florida. Dohnanyi also took conducting courses in Tanglewood. His career began when Georg Solti called him to the Frankfurt Opera in 1953, where he was choral conductor and later orchestral conductor. He then took posts in various German cities before serving as principal conductor and general manager of the Hamburg State Opera from 1978 to 1984. In 1984 he succeeded Lorin Maazel as permanent conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. It is rare to find a conductor of Dohnanyi’s eminence who devotes such a great deal of time and energy to contemporary music. He has led the world premieres of Hans Werner Henze’s operas “Der junge Lord” and “Die Bassariden,” Gottfried von Einem’s “Kabale und Liebe” and Friedrich Cerha’s “Baal,” along with a number of orchestral works. One of the highlights of Unitel’s recordings of 20th-century works is Gustav Rudolf Sellner’s Berlin production of Henze’s “Der junge Lord” with several members of the world premiere, including Edith Mathis, Donald Grobe and Loren Driscoll. Also available are recordings of Richard Strauss’s “Burleske,” Béla Bartók’s “The Miraculous Mandarin” and Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 3,” the “Scottish” – all three of which were recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic in 1977 at Vienna’s Musikvereinssaal.
Strauss, Burleske for Piano and Orchestra in D minor
A versatile and highly respected conductor, Christoph von Dohnányi has pursued a remarkable career both in Europe and the United States. After completing a long tenure as musical director and manager of the Frankfurt Opera, he was appointed to the same posts at the Hamburg State Opera. In 1984 he succeeded Lorin Maazel as principal conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. He became first guest conductor of the London Philharmonic in 1994 as well. His commitment to new music is evident both in concert and in recordings. He led the premieres of Henze’s “Der junge Lord” and “Die Bassariden”. The Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder launched his international career as a soloist after winning the Lipatti Medal in 1962 and, particularly, the Special Prize in the Van Cliburn Competition in 1966. The “Burleske” was recorded in 1977 at Vienna’s Musikvereinssaal in a concert also featuring Bartók’s “The Miraculous Mandarin” Suite and Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” Symphony.
Der junge Lord
“The Young Lord” is a true ensemble opera, with impressive songs and an orchestra hardly larger than that of a Mozart opera, the characters being accompanied by respective leitmotifs or instruments. Henze frequently uses purely tonal structures. Yet this does not mean that Henze returns to the past, or that he betrays his avantgarde achievements. His style reveals a kind of highly ‘artificial’ and witty handling of tradition. The connoisseur recognizes many subtle allusions to tradition, while the ordinary listener enjoys everything he expects from a comic opera: lightness, tempo, wit, warmth and a touch of dream-world. “The Young Lord” was commissioned by the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Although Henze knew what artistic talent and possibilities were to be expected there, his justifiably high expectations were probably surpassed when he saw the first performance on 7 April 1965. Filippo Sanjust conjured up a most imaginative and accurate picture of the Biedermeier world upon the stage, which contains just enough fantastic exaggeration to fit the work. The producer, Gustav Rudolf Sellner, has put life into all those details in a manner that particularly benefits the film. Finally, Christoph von Dohnányi has proved to be the ideal Henze conductor.