The Mahler cycle of Claudio Abbado and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra has long since become legendary. Now they’re nearing the conclusion of their project as they take up the Ninth – the final symphony Mahler was able to complete. ‘If music was heard in the earthly paradise, it could not have sounded more glorious than the performance of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony led by Claudio Abbado,’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 2009)
Claudio Abbado conducts the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra
The Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela was the orchestra in residence at the Lucerne Festival at Easter 2010. Under the baton of their strong supporter Claudio Abbado, the orchestra once again reaches out to the audience on this special evening, spreading its lively enthusiasm at highest musical level, it is both famous and loved for. After a brilliant performance of Prokofiev’s Scythian Suite Op. 20, the ensemble is accompanied by the young and talented Austrian soprano Anna Prohaska. The evening is concluded by a most emotional interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pathétique’.
Berlin Philharmonic – Wagner Gala – New Year’s Eve Concert 1993
The 1993 New Year’s Eve Gala of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is dedicated to Richard Wagner. On the programme: ‘Tannhäuser’: Ouverture, Act II Aria ‘Dich teure Halle’, Act III Song to the Evening Star, ‘Lohengrin’: ‘In ferner Einsamkeit des Waldes’ (Act II),’ Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’: Prelude to Act I, Aria ‘Was duftet doch der Flieder (Act II), ‘Die Walküre’: ‘Der Männer Sippe’ (Act I), The Ride of the Valkyries (Act III).
Richard Strauss Gala – New Year’s Eve Concert 1992 – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
The programme includes Don Juan, Burleske, Till Eulenspiegel’s lustige Streiche, Finale from “Der Rosenkavalier”.
Berlin Philharmonic: New Year’s Eve Concert 1991 – Beethoven Gala
Programme: “Egmont”, “Leonore III”, Chorfantasie.
La Casa Dei Suoni – The House of Magical Sounds
This film is both a memoir of the Berliner Philharmoniker director Claudio Abbado´s early years, and a personal introduction to the orchestra. It culminates in a deeply felt introduction to the sections of the orchestra with Abbado leading the Youth Orchestra of a United Europe.
Claudio Abbado and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra – A special feature in celebration of the maestro’s 80th birthday!
On the occasion of Claudio Abbado’s 80th birthday in June 2013, this special feature throws a glance at Abbado’s work with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. The close connection between the orchestra and its conductor is documented by excerpts from rehearsals and concert recordings as well as personal interviews with the maestro talking about composers, his approach to their works and the collaboration with the orchestra. —– With excerpts from: Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART “Haffner Symphony” and Requiem (featuring René Pape), Anton BRUCKNER Symphony No. 1, Gustav MAHLER Symphony No. 9 and Adagio from Symphony No. 10, Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Incidental Music to Goethe’s Tragedy “Egmont” featuring Juliane Banse and Bruno Ganz.
Happy Birthday, Lucerne! Anniversary Season Opening Concert conducted by Claudio Abbado
2013 marked the 75th birthday of Lucerne Festival. Additionally, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra celebrates its 10th anniversary, and its founder, Claudio Abbado, celebrates his 80th birthday! For the anniversary season opening concert in 2013 Abbado gathers world-famous soloists, who are willing to ‘do the craziest things I ask of them in the interest of the compositions: to fly or to go through the fire.’ The maestro spans a wide and quite contrasting range, from the romantic sounds of BRAHMS’ Tragic Overture to the orchestral interlude and the Song of the Wood-Dove from SCHOENBERG’s Gurrelieder, back to BEETHOVEN’s Eroica. —– PROGRAM: Johannes Brahms: Tragic Overture, Op. 81 / Arnold Schoenberg: Orchestral Interlude and Song of the Wood-Dove from ‘Gurrelieder’ (with Mihoko Fujimura, Mezzo-soprano) / Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55 ‘EROICA’