It would be hard to imagine a more seductive hero, a more passionate performer, a more glorious interpreter of the great Romantic roles of Verdi and Puccini than Rolando Villazón. Yet the singer’s temporary withdrawal from the spotlight in 2007 opened up a wealth of new possibilities for the singer. Among the ‘new paths’ that Villazón envisioned for the future were ‘adventures’ such as Baroque music. Next to a recording of works by the early Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi (available from UNITEL CLASSICA), he now offers a selection of arias by George Frideric Handel. This intimate concert featuring Villazón and the Gabrieli Players under Paul McCreesh was filmed in a setting that ideally suits the style of the music, St. Paul’s Church in Deptford, near London, one of Britain’s finest Baroque churches. It was built between 1712 and 1730, almost exactly when Handel was writing his most celebrated operas and oratorios.
Riccardo Chailly and Helene Grimaud perform works by Ravel and Mahler
The Gewandhaus Orchestra and Music Director Riccardo Chailly have acquired legendary status. Acclaimed concert tours and glorious reviews testifying to their continuing success. 2012 Riccardo Chailly continued his Mahler cycle with the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig with the performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. together with Ravel’s piano concerto played by the outstanding pianist Helene Grimaud. —— PROGRAM: MAURICE RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major; GUSTAV MAHLER: Symphony No. 4 in G Major
Lucerne Festival: Moving to Modern Times: Simon Rattle conducts works by Ligeti, Wagner, Sibelius, Debussy and Ravel
In 2011, theBerliner Philharmoniker under Sir Simon Rattle started their Lucerne series ‘Moving to Modern Times’. In 2012 they continued their celebrated and acclaimed start with pieces by Ligeti, Sibelius and Wagner. —— PROGRAM: György LIGETI ‘Atmosphères’ for full orchestra; Richard WAGNER: Prelude to ‘Lohengrin’; Jean SIBELIUS: Symphony No.4 in A minor, op. 63; Claude DEBUSSY ‘Jeux. Poème dansé pour orchestre’; Maurice RAVEL: ‘Daphnis et Chloé’. 2ème Suite
Le nozze di Figaro (from NCPA Beijing)
“Le nozze di Figaro” shines a new light on Mozart’s famous opera in Beijing: The NCPA production combines traditional Western elements with an outstanding Chinese cast. Stage director José Luis Castro from Seville – where the story takes place – embeds the performance in the traditional setting of his hometown. With their fresh interpretation the NCPA Orchestra and Chorus, under musical director Lu Jia, lay the foundation for the leading soloists in the Middle Kingdom: Li Ao, Huang Ying, Zhou Zhengzhong, Yu Guanqun and Xu Lei testify that the NCPA has become a venue of choice for opera lovers in China and beyond.
Chailly conducts Mahler – Symphony No. 2
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and their Music Director Riccardo Chailly have acquired legendary status – glorious reviews and many awards for their recordings testifying to their continuing success. At Leipzig’s International Mahler Festival, to mark the centenary of Mahler’s death, they performed Mahler’s monumental Second Symphony in the Gewandhaus – together with two marvellous soloists and choral forces quite beyond compare.
Riccardo Chailly – Mahler Cycle
The complete Mahler symphonies with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig conducted by Riccardo Chailly recorded at the Gewandhaus Leipzig. Symphony No. 2 in C minor: 96’ min / / Symphony No. 3 (available in 2015) / Symphony No. 4 in G major: 62’ min / Symphony No. 5: 74′ min / Symphony No. 6: 87′ min / Symphony No. 8 in E flat major: 93’ min / Symphony No. 9: 86′ min.
Inaugural concert of Tarmo Peltokoski in Latvia
With the start of the 2022/2023 concert season, 22-year-old Finnish conductor, Tarmo Peltokoski, becomes the musical and artistic director of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO). The French music magazine Diapason writes about him: “ATTENTION, A GENIUS!” Peltokoski has a strong musical vision and a clear idea of what he wants to achieve in the next three years. His inaugural concert took place in the Cesis Concert Hall, which is characterised by exceptional acoustics. PROGRAM Williams: Symphony No. 5; Auznieks: Grace; Sibelius: Symphony No. 5