Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 is presented alongside Karol Szymanowski’s own first symphony and Violin Concerto No. 1, featuring the acclaimed soloist Janine Jansen.PROGRAM Brahms: Symphony No 1; Szymanowski: Symphony No 1, Violin Concerto No 1
LSO: Gergiev conducts Brahms 2 & Szymanowski 2
Presented alongside his Tragic Overture, Johannes Brahms’ relaxed Symphony No. 2, improvisatory in nature with a fuller orchestral sonority, is paired with Karol Szymanowski’s own second symphony. PROGRAM Brahms: Tragic Overture, Symphony No 2; Szymanowski Symphony No 2
LSO: Gergiev conducts Brahms 4 & Szymanowski 4
Conductor Valery Gergiev leads the London Symphony Orchestra in a stunning interpretation of Johannes Brahms’ fourth and final symphony that showcases the composer’s architectural musical skill. PROGRAM Brahms: Symphony No 4; Szymanowski: Symphony No 4
New Year’s Concert – Neujahrskonzert 1987
In 1987, Herbert von Karajan was chosen to conduct Vienna’s prestigious New Year’s concert, an iconic annual event that became particularly patriotic that evening when an Austrian conductor led the Wiener Philharmoniker in an all-Viennese concert program! Waltzes, polkas, and Strauss’s unforgettable Radetzky March shared a program with a scintillating vocal waltz called Springtime Voices sung by the masterful Kathleen Battle—the only vocal soloist ever invited in the history of the New Year’s Concert!
Don Carlo
Considered one of Verdi’s most challenging works, Don Carlos gets the royal treatment in this production at the Salzburg Festival directed by Herbert von Karajan. Verdi’s opera demands soloists of incredible technical ability who are also capable of communicating their character’s struggles with exceptional expressiveness. Inspired by Schiller’s eponymous historical tragedy, Don Carlos explores the conflicts between 16th-century European society and the heavy-handed political influence of the Catholic Church, as well as the roles of liberty and religion in the life of modern man.
Don Giovanni
In 1987, Herbert von Karajan conducted a historic production of Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival featuring an artistic team considered to this day to be one of best to have ever brought the opera to life: Samuel Ramey, Benny Goodman, Gösta Winbergh, Paata Burchuladze, Julia Varady, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Alexander Malta, and Kathleen Battle. The virtuosic soloists are supported by one of the greatest artistic partnerships of the 20th century: maestro Karajan and the Wiener Philharmoniker!
Falstaff
When Carlo Maria Giulini returned to conducting public performances of opera after an absence of fourteen years, he chose for the occasion one of the enduring comic masterpieces – Verdi’s Falstaff. The composer was almost eighty when he broke the six-year silence following the premiere of Otello, and startled the musical world by revealing his complete mastery of comic invention. It is true that much of the success for this consummate work of genius is due to a libretto of extraordinary brilliance by Arrigo Boito, who took the substance of the piece from The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV, but nothing can detract from Verdi’s capacity for matching it with music of real wit and humour. Renato Bruson, the renowned interpreter of Verdi and one of the leading lyric baritones of the day, sings the title role. Katia Ricciarelli leads the trio of merry wives with Lucia Valentini-Terrani as Mistress Quickly and Brenda Boozer as Meg Page. Leo Nucci sings the role of Ford and the young lovers are here portrayed by Dalmacio Gonzalez and Barbara Hendricks. Stunning designs by Hayden Griffen and Michael Stennett provide the perfect setting for this witty interpretation of Shakespeare’s masterpiece.
John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension in Sofia
Join us on the stage of the A to JazZ Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, and witness the stunning virtuosity of legendary guitarist John McLaughlin and his band The 4th Dimension. This promises
to be an intense and captivating evening of music with poignant tributes to Pharoah Sanders and Paco de Luci a.
British guitarist and composer John McLaughlin has been an emblematic figure of the world jazz stage since the 1970s, known for his frequent excursions in the fields of rock, Indian
music, and flamenco. He notably played on Miles Davis’s first jazz rock albums, In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. In the early 70s, he also founded groups such as Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti with Indian musicians L. Shankar, Zakir Hussein, and Ragahvan.
Other collaborations include Jimi Hendrix, Charlie Haden, Dave Liebman, Carlos Santana, Chick Corea, and Paco de Lucia, to name just a few.
Queens of the Stone Age play Baloise Session
Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by Josh Homme. They are known for their characteristic mix of stoner rock, alternative and hard rock with catchy riffs and powerful vocals. The band has gained a firm place in the rock scene through changing members and collaborations with well-known musicians such as Dave Grohl. Queens of the Stone Age are considered one of the most influential bands in modern rock and have inspired many bands with their unique sound. The concert at the Baloise will be unplugged. For this unique performance, the band has rearranged their songs and largely dispensed with electric amplification. Supported by a string trio and unconventional instruments such as chains and chopstick percussion, an intimate atmosphere is created. Only an electric piano is powered by a car battery.
Johannes Oerding plays Baloise Session
When language becomes music! Johannes Oerding has established himself as one of the most successful German-speaking singer-songwriters with his warm voice. His current single ‘Hier Gehör Ich Hin’ and his album ‘Plan A’ showcase an artist who packs complex emotions into accessible songs. Oerding’s music has been featured in films, television shows, and radio programs around the world. He’s released seven studio albums and several singles as a solo artist.