In 2018, marking the exact 100th anniversary of the Armistice ending World War 1, the all-star World Orchestra for Peace gave two UNESCO designated performances of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Symbolically one in each of the UK and Germany – for the BBC Proms in London and for the Würth Music Foundation in Künzelsau. Founded in 1995 by Sir Georg Solti to reaffirm, in his words, “the unique strength of music as an ambassador for peace”, leading players from the world’s finest orchestras gave this performance at ‘the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month’, 100 years after the guns fell silent in 1918. The performance is preceded by moving words of welcome and introduction from Prof. Würth and Lady Solti, both highlighting the need for brotherhood and joy amongst all nations, as reflected in the words of Schiller’s Ode in the choral finale.
Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
W.A. Mozart’s timeless masterpiece at the Salzburg Festival is always an event! Especially when Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) receives such a “spectacular and virtuosic staging” (Le Figaro) by director Lydia Steier. Steier introduces the role of the grandfather, a narrator reading the opera like a fairy tale to his three grandchildren, performed by the famous actor Klaus Maria Brandauer (Out of Africa, James Bond). This ‘trick’ in combination with the gigantic moveable sets by stage designer Katharina Schlipf, allows new views on Mozart’s magical opera, with its different worlds. Thanks to conductor Constantinos Carydis, who “seems to breath with the music” (Tagesspiegel), there is a new Mozart to be heard too: Carydis draws “precise phrasing and plenty and of crisp articulation” (Financial Times) from “the musicians of the great Vienna Philharmonic” (New York Times).
Beethoven: The Symphonies
Andris Nelsons conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker
Conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker, Andris Nelsons presents a concert night which concentrates every conceivable passion: Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s Trumpet Concerto “Nobody knows de trouble I see” performed with “technical perfection” (Kronenzeitung) by “the fantastic Håkan Hardenberger” (Salzburger Nachrichten) and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in C minor “Resurrection”. “Nelsons proved to be delicate but hearty when interpreting Mahler.” (Wiener Zeitung). The conductor led the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to “enticingly beautiful sounds” (Die Presse). “High praise goes to the vocal soloists Ekaterina Gubanova, Lucy Crowe and the Bavarian Broadcasting choir.” (Salzburger Nachrichten) “Standing ovation”! (Kurier)
Midsummer Night’s Gala Grafenegg
The “spectacular opening” (Salzburger Nachrichten) of the Grafenegg Festival 2018 presented at the Midsummer Night´s Gala lots of famous opera aria and orchestral hits from Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Bellini, Offenbach, Elgar and more. The Tonkunstler Orchestra under Yutaka Sado was joined by the “terrific singer” (Kurier) Pretty Yende, her “congenial partner” (Kurier) Joseph Calleja and the wonderful cellist Harriet Krijgh. “A feast for the ears” (Kurier)
Don Giovanni
When it comes to Mozartian perfection on the opera stage, one needn’t always seek it in Milan, Vienna, Salzburg or New York! At the Sferisterio Opera Festival in the central Italian city of Macerata, a rapt audience was treated to a production of Don Giovanni “that will enter the annals of opera” (ForumOpera.com). This magnificent reading of Mozart’s timeless masterpiece sweeps the viewer into a libertine, 18th- century society dominated by sensuality and erotic impulses. They are acted out on the stage’s main prop, a large, unmade bed, not only by Don Giovanni, but also by just about everyone else in the “nearly faultless cast” (ForumOpera.com). In his role debut as the title hero, Ildebrando D’Arcangelo is “incandescent” (Gazzetta die Parma) and “doesn’t do Don Giovanni; he is the Don. Unsurpassable”(24 Ore).
Turandot
Rebeka Lokar is a “commanding Turandot” (Bachtrack) and Jorge de León as the Princess’ suitor a “true giant” (Corriere della Sera) with his perfect rendition of “Nessun dorma”. Grammy Award nominee Gianandrea Noseda impressively conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Regio “as modern as you have rarely experienced it. Chapeau!” (Operalounge) Stage director Stefano Poda dedicates himself to bring Puccini’s Ancient Chinese setting to life. To achieve an aesthetic and conceptual unity, his work also encompasses set and costume design as well as lighting and choreography. “Extraordinary Turandot” (La Repubblica), “unanimous applause at the end!” (La Stampa). “The icy Turandot inflames the Teatro Regio!” (Corriere della Sera)
Tosca
Premiered in 1900 with huge success, Puccini’s “melodramma” Tosca is a political thriller with a heart-breaking love story. With his gripping opening scene, stage director Michael Sturminger sets the tone for a cinematic, richly detailed Tosca which is set in the Mafiosi world of modern day Rome and which is “the perfect thriller … reminiscent of Scorsese’s ‘Goodfellas’” (Kleine Zeitung), a “film noir” (FAZ). In this production soprano Anja Harteros is “a phenomenal Tosca!” (Kurier), “unparalleled in the world” (Der Standard) and Aleksandrs Antonenko is “a Cavaradossi of superlatives” (Kieler Nachrichten). The Staatskapelle Dresden under Christian Thielemann „show again that he is not only a master of German repertoire but also strikes the right note in Italian repertoire.“ (Focus)
John Neumeier Collection
Four Ballets by John Neumeier: The Little Mermaid / Die kleine Meerjungfrau, Tatiana, Weihnachtsoratorium / Christmas Oratorio and Nijinsky.“Neumeier´s place in the ballet world is as singular as his interpretation of the tale.” (San Francisco Chronicle about The Little Mermaid) “Once again it is impossible not to be impressed by the flawless technique of the ensemble … When at the end Lloyd Riggins tap-dances his way across the stage like Fred Astaire, the Christmas Oratorio is complete.” (Süddeutsche Zeitung) “Nearly nobody else besides John Neumeier can tell stories with the bodies of his dancers. Tatiana is three hours of danced poetry.” (Hamburger Morgenpost) “Nijinsky – an inexhaustible topic. Where to begin, where to end?” (John Neumeier) John Neumeier, the artistic director and chief choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet and the longest serving artistic director in the world, will celebrate his 80th birthday on February 24th, 2019.
Attila
Verdi´s opera Attila takes as its starting point Attila’s plans to storm Rome with his army of Huns and the Romans’ attempts to prevent him. As with Nabucco and I Lombardi, Verdi spiced up the action with a number of patriotic choruses, guaranteeing that – against the background of the Italian movement for unification – the opera was a great success. “Michele Mariotti owes much to the fact that this evening became a celebration of voices“ (Opern-Kritik). Ildebrando D´Arcangelo is “perfect for the serious Verdi roles”, Fabio Sartori has a voice of immense brilliance” (Opern-Kritik), “Simone Piazzola was an impressive Ezio” (theoperacritic.com) and “the real warrior of this Attila is the soprano Maria Jose’ Siri … with her voice, touching each primordial sentiment in every note of the opera, she commanded ‘Attention’ from everybody.” (La Repubblica)