Axel Köhler’s production of Der Freischütz at the Dresden State Opera was described by Die Presse as “a minor miracle in Dresden”. In the words of the Salzburger Nachrichten, Köhler “scored a bulleye” with his sombre and satanic interpretation of Weber’s Romantic opera about love, temptation, souls sold to the Devil, obsession and faith. According to the Financial Times, Christian Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle conjured up a sense of “mortal terror from the orchestra pit. […] Thielemann is in command of every detail. That makes for utterly gripping listening.”
Lisa Batiashvili, Gautier Capuçon & Christian Thielemann
Violinist Lisa Batiashvili, cellist Gautier Capuçon, Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden present a sophisticated concert programme of three great composers: Johannes Brahms, Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky and Franz Liszt. In Brahms´ Double Concerto Lisa Bathiashvili is playing her Guarneri “with tenderness and devotion” (Der Neue Merker). Her lyrical, velevety performance is contrasted by Capuçon’s more throaty and vibrating tone: “The two ways of playing seem to collide sometimes but to match brilliantly at the same time”. Christian Thielemann and his Staatskapelle “are mixing different colours as if they were putting emeralds and rubies on precious metal, creating huge sonority but always retaining clarity in it” (Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten).
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)
Bruckner Symphony No. 1
Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden already released the Bruckner symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and continue their Bruckner Cycle at the Philharmonie in Munich with a radiant performance of Symphony No. 1. Thielemann, widely regarded as the leading Brucknerian of our age, demonstrates his skill once more and shows a masterly control over his orchestra. Thielemann opted for the more lively early original Linz version of this symphony. Bruckner himself called it “a cheeky wench” and said about the finale: “Never again have I been so audacious and bold.” “How Thielemann elicits diabolical trills and how he puts emphasis on syncopation, no matter how small – that’s in a class of it’s own.” (Die Presse.com)
Die Walküre
On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the Salzburg Easter Festival presents a “Re-creation” of Die Walküre: of Herbert von Karajan’s musico-theatrical vision of the 19th century masterwork, with which the legendary Maestro opened the very first Easter Festival in 1967. The top-ranking ensemble of singers performs in the faithfully reconstructed scenery of the
original production with impressive video backdrops inspired by the original glass paintings. Christian Thielemann, who has been assistant of Karajan in his beginnings, counts among the world’s foremost Wagner conductors, “… there is an absolute polish to this performance that is exceptional” writes the Financial Times about the conductor and orchestra. The critics are full of praise for this “musically ravishing Walküre” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and its “excellent ensemble of soloists”. As Sieglinde, Anja Harteros is “enchanting and elegant”, Peter Seiffert “amazingly presents a steady and expressive Siegmund”, Christa Mayer “shows off as irresistible, throroughbred Fricka” and Anja Kampe is celebrated as “outstanding Brünnhilde” (Süddeutsche Zeitung). “Musically it was superb.” (The Spectator)
Bruckner Symphony No. 3
Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden already released the Bruckner symphonies Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and continue their Bruckner Cycle at the Philharmonie in Munich with a “radiant and majestic” (The Guardian) performance of Symphony No. 3, also known as “Wagner Symphony”. Thielemann, a more than experienced Bruckner interpreter, has once again proven himself as the top of his class, with masterly control over a shining wind section, which “pushed the audience deeply into their seats”. With “moments of disruptive suspense and intense audio density he displays the full musical maelstrom of Bruckners Symphony No. 3” (Münchner Merkur). „Thielemann and the Dresdeners played the Third Symphony … here radiant and majestic, clean ensemble giving a welcome illusion of structural clarity.” (The Guardian about the performance at the Proms) „… the orchestra unfolds from the beginning in fullest splendor“. (Süddeutsche Zeitung)
Otello
A superb new Otello from the Salzburg Easter Festival: “Cura is a commanding Otello with his richly coloured tenor and both fragile delicacy and fiery ardour” (Südwestpresse). “Röschmann as Desdemona guarantees effortless perfection” (Neue Musikzeitung). “Álvarez as Iago would be hard to surpass” (Abendzeitung). This Salzburg production – featuring “a cast worthy of any festival” (Südwestpresse) – is conducted by Christian Thielemann, who displays a command of Verdian tragedy to match his celebrated sovereignty in Wagner. He and his great Dresden Staatskapelle, a consummate opera ensemble, “achieve wonders” (Die Presse), “generating Italian ‘Musikdrama’ with their incandescence and precise nuances” (Abendzeitung). In his fascinating staging, director Vincent Boussard integrates video with set and lighting design to create an idealized visual context for what he calls Otello’s “conflict of ancient and modern, of 2D and 3D”. Boussard’s Otello is above all: aesthetic. The nobly designed costumes are from the Parisian fashion designer Christian Lacroix, with whom Boussard has been cooperating for many years. Special attention is given to the handkerchief in this production, the leitmotiv object in which Otello proves the supposed deceit of his wife Desdemona.
Bruckner Symphony No. 6
Since taking up his post as principal conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle in 2012, Christian Thielemann has launched each new concert season with a Bruckner symphony. In autumn 2015 he choose for the opening concert at Dresden’s historic Semperoper the Sixth, and for the Sächsische Zeitung this performance marked “another Bruckner triumph for Dresden”. Thielemann once more “conjured up the most magical of sonorities” and “the orchestra played magnificently under him“. (Der Neue Merker)
Buchbinder plays Mozart
The Austrian piano virtuoso Rudolf Buchbinder, a known expert of Mozart plays and conducts three of Mozart’s most beloved piano concertos together with the Staatskapelle Dresden, where he was the first pianist to hold the title of “Capell-Virtous”. In advance to an extensive tour to Germany, Europe and Asia the concert was recorded in Dresden in an unique setting, being the first ultra-high definition recording of this work: especially for this purpose a stage was set up right inside the Gläserne Manufaktur, a luxury car manufacturer in the heart of the city of Dresden.
Bruckner Symphony No. 9
Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden will continue their long-running Bruckner cycle with the Ninth Symphony, the very last work from the composer, in which he drew to the conclusion of his symphonic works. The first three movements of the symphony were composed and completed by Bruckner, but he died on the job whilst writing the final movement. In this interpretation of the three-movement original version, “Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden triumphed … It was a musical and a spiritual event”. (Baden online).