On the 200th birthday of Franz Liszt, the city of Weimar arranges a special concert for its former Kapellmeister: members of the Staatskapelle Weimar and students of the Musikhochschule FRANZ LISZT play under the baton of conductor Christian Thielemann. Russian pianist Konstantin Sherbakov will perform Liszt’s ‘Totentanz’, a variation cycle for piano and orchestra, and his Second Piano Concerto.
Thielemann conducts Faust
Under the direction of romantic-music specialist Christian Thielemann, the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden performs a special Franz Liszt memorial concert at the Semperoper in Dresden to commemorate the 200th anniversary year of one of the 19th century’s greatest composers. The “Faust”-themed concert opens with the Overture to “Faust” in D minor by Richard Wagner, who was Liszt’s son-in-law, before leading into Franz Liszt’s symphonic masterpiece “A Faust Symphony”. “A top orchestra and a top conductor have found one another” (Die Welt).
Bruckner, Symphony No.5 in B flat major
The performance of all six of Anton Bruckner’s mature symphonies on six nearly consecutive evenings is an accomplishment that can truly be called “superhuman” (Der Tagesspiegel). Daniel Barenboim – conductor, pianist, all round musical genius – set himself this task in June 2010 with the Staatskapelle Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie. What Barenboim and his orchestra – he has been its principal conductor since 1992 – achieve in this marathon is a new view of the Bruckner opus that opts for grandeur and the mighty theatrical gesture. Bruckner’s symphonies as “operas without words” (Der Tagesspiegel).
The most beautiful song – A search for singers with Thomas Quasthoff (Concert)
Thomas Quasthoff founded international song competition for young singers, ‘Das Lied,’ to ensure that the Lied, which the baritone calls ‘the most beautiful form of music making,’ continues to hold its place in the concert repertoire of the future. According to Quasthoff, the goal of this project is to find the successors to the greatest singers of today and to discover new voices. In addition to Thomas Quasthoff, one of the top baritones and Lied singers of our day, the jury includes such distinguished vocalists as Brigitte Fassbaender and Annette Dasch, as well as the famed accompanists Helmut Deutsch and Charles Spencer. Among the prizewinners who perform at the gala concert are German baritone Tobias Berndt and Austrian baritone Daniel Schmutzhard.
The Most Beautiful Song – A Search for Singers with Thomas Quasthoff (Documentary)
Thomas Quasthoff founded this contest ‘Das Lied’ to ensure that the Lied, which the baritone calls ‘the most beautiful form of music making,’ continues to hold its place in the concert repertoire of the future. The film accompanies some of the young singers during the competition’s three rounds, providing a showcase not only for beautiful voices and poignant Lieder, but also, and above all, for emotions. The hopes and disappointments, the joys and doubts, the tension and exhilaration of the young singers are all captured on film. And it soon emerges that the contest is as stimulating and galvanizing for the jurors as it is for the contestants! Excerpts from the closing gala concert recorded at the sumptuous Apollo Hall of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin round off the film.
Thielemann conducts Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
By performing Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Christian Thielemann, the new chief conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden, fulfilled a long-cherished wish: he always wanted to conduct this work and in Dresden he found the ideal conditions. At the same time he brought it back on the schedule of the Staatskappelle after a pause of over 20 years. The Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 by Johann Sebastian Bach was written for the Christmas season of 1734 in Leipzig. Christian Thielemann leads the Staatskapelle Dresden along with a roster of top soloists: Sibylla Rubens (Soprano), Christa Mayer (Alto), Daniel Behle Tenor) and Florian Boesch (Bass).
The 12 Cellists at Moscow Conservatory
Where once Vladimir Horowitz gave his legendary concert, in the big hall of Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate their Russian première. They belong to the top orchestra of the class and are celebrated in the whole world. Within the scope of the first international cello festival in Moscow, dedicated to the big “Slava”, the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, they present a great program from “Angel Dances” and “Dance around the World”. This concert in Moscow crowns the 36 years old history of 12 cellists.
The Baltic Festive Concert – Kristine Opolais & Friends
Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais is the evening’s star soloist and will perform highlights from her secular and sacred repertoire. Under the baton of Constantine Orbelian, we experience a concert in the magnificent Basilica of Kaunas. Stars from Latvia, Armenia and the USA perform popular highlights from opera, ballet and orchestral song.
The Weimar Recital – Franz Schubert: Songs & Ballads
Konstantin Krimmel, the rising star of song interpreters and the renowned pianist Daniel Heide perform Franz Schubert’s settings of ballads and poems from the German classics. It was filmed in the “Book Cube” of the venerable Anna Amalia Library in the heart of Weimar. Wonderful pictures of the city of classics complement the impressive setting.
Asmik Grigorian – The Kaunas Concert
In January 2025, Lithuanian star soprano Asmik Grigorian performed in Kaunas, in one of the most beautiful cathedrals of her homeland. With sacred opera arias and orchestral songs by Verdi, Bellini, Komitas, and others, she enchanted an enthusiastic audience. Joining her in this concert are the fantastic Ukrainian tenor Dmytro Popov and the charismatic cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper. Under the baton of Constantine Orbelian, the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra and the Kaunas State Choir make this concert an unforgettable experience. 63′ is an Asmik Grigorian only version.