When Nelsons steps up to the podium of the Gewandhausorchester in March 2018 as its new musical director, Leipzig will indeed undergo a makeover. Apart from Felix Mendelssohn, his famous predecessor, he is the youngest conductor in the history of the orchestra beingthen only 37 years old. In this program Nelsons focuses on Dvorák – the “Otello” overture is followed by extracts from his opera Rusalka. Nelsons’ spouse, Kristine Opolais, takes over the arias of the title role, which she has already performed at the New York Met and the Bavarian State Opera. The fact that Nelsons also selected Dvorák’s 9th “From The New World” can be seen as a programmatic omen: Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester now enter new territory, so to speak, on a joint musical journey.
Das Land des Lächelns
Franz Lehár’s “Das Land des Lächelns” is one of the best-known operettas of all time. For this new production Piotr Beczala, a world star who cultivates the tradition of the famous Tauber style like no other, returned to the Opernhaus Zürich as Sou-Chong. He has an equal partner in Julia Kleiter, who played the role of Lisa. Fabio Luisi and Andreas Homoki also know that the genre of operetta requires particular care – which is why they have assumed personal responsibility for this production. Homoki lets the plot take place in a Paris Variététheater from the 1920s, complete with show staircase and heavy curtains. To emphasize the operatic elements, he purged the piece, cutting several secondary roles and shortening dialogues. “Julia Kleiter as Lisa and Piotr Beczala as Sou-Chong – unhappy lovers, but vocally a dream couple!” SRF
Frédéric Chopin – The Anniversary Gala Concert
The internationally celebrated concert event from Warsaw on the occasion of Frédéric Chopin’s 200th birthday – two Russian piano stars in one program: Nikolai Demidenko with a marvelous performance of Chopin’s Concerto No. 1, Evgeny Kissin with a most thrilling interpretation of Concerto No. 2. The former wunderkind delights the audience, which still can not get enough even after three encores. A unique performance and truly a gift for Chopin lovers all over the world.
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’.
Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra – Mahler 9
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)
Lucerne Festival 2016: Inaugural Concert of Riccardo Chailly – Mahler 8
“To be responsible for this outstanding artistic project that Claudio Abbado has initiated is not only a privilege but it has touched me deeply.” These are the very words Riccardo Chailly uses to describe his new job in Lucerne. The conductor, who left his post as music director of the Gewandhaus Leipzig and became principal conductor at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan last year, follows in this new position Arturo Toscanini and Claudio Abbado, thus becoming the third chief conductor of this unique orchestra. On August 12, 2016, Riccardo Chailly premiered as conductor of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra with an opening concert: The orchestra and its principal conductor paid their respects to the late Abbado with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. An inaugural concert that with its superb cast of musicians became a memorable event!
80 Years Israel Philharmonic Orchestra – The Jubilee Concert
Over the past 47 years, Zubin Metha has given more than 3000 concerts with “his” Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, individually selecting each musician himself. “We are one great family. One can both see and hear that,” explains Metha on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the IPO. Founded in 1936 by Bronislaw Huberman as the Palestine Symphony Orchestra, ist inaugural concert on 26 December was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. 80 years later on the very same day, Zubin Mehta, the orchestra’s musical director for life, conducted the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in a veritable Jubilee Concert with an all-Beethoven program. Mehta was joined by his longtime artistic friends Pinchas Zukerman, Amanda Forsyth, and Yefim Bronfman. PROGRAM Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3; Violin Concerto; Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Kerstmatinee 2006)
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Mariss Jansons joined by a cast of great soloists and the famous Netherlands Radio Choir (Groot Omroepkoor) performing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at the main hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Daniel Barenboim plays Chopin – The Warsaw Recital
Chopin Year 2010 coincides with the 60th anniversary of Daniel Barenboim’s stage début, and as a pianist he has decided to devote this year to the great Romantic master of the keyboard. Chopin was born on 1 March 1810 in a small village near Warsaw, and on the eve of the 200th anniversary of this date Barenboim gave this wildly acclaimed Warsaw recital as part of an extensive European tour. The programme included some of the composer’s best-known works, including the great B flat minor Sonata with its famous Funeral March, which sounded to many ‘as the composer may well have imagined it.’
Programme: F. Chopin: Fantasy in F Minor Op. 49 · Nocturne in D Flat Major Op. 27/2 · Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor Op. 35 (Funeral March) · Barcarole in F Sharp Major Op. 60 · Waltz in F Major Op. 34 No. 3 · Waltz in A Minor Op. 34 No. 2 · Waltz in C Sharp Minor Op. 64 No. 2 · Berceuse in D Flat Major Op. 57 · Polonaise in A Flat Major Op. 53
RCO: Mahler No. 2
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus ‘Das Lied von der Erde’, performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.