“No more Bruckner under Haitink, that’s a cut in the history of interpretation” Wiener Zeitung. To end his active conducting career after 65 years, maestro Bernard Haitink together with the Wiener Philharmoniker gives a farewell concert at the Großes Festspielhaus at Salzburg Festival, leaving no doubt of being one of the best Bruckner interpreters ever. The Dutch conductor, who was appointed honorary member of the Wiener Philharmoniker shortly before the concert, is joined by star pianist Emanuel Ax in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4: a musical interaction “of a depth of sentiment and an agreement in making music together that sounds wonderfully natural” (Salzburger Nachrichten). The concert ends with Bruckner’s monumental Symphony No. 7 with its famous second movement, which marked the composer’s breakthrough and remains one of his most popular symphonies. The Wiener Philharmoniker play under Haitink’s masterful baton completely focused, but dynamic and with deepest sensation. The atmosphere of this last performance is without doubt exceptional and a visibly emotional Haitink was celebrated by the audience with long standing ovations. “You shouldn’t throw terms like ‘magic moments’ around easily. But what could be heard in Salzburg was certainly one” (Klassikinfo.de)
Simon Boccanegra
Verdi’s masterpiece „Simon Boccanegra“ is presented in a „clear and levelheaded“ (The New York Times) staging by Andreas Kriegenburg from the Salzburg Festival. The tragedy of the corsair who becomes Doge of Genoa and is poisoned shortly after having found his lost daughter is conducted by Valery Gergiev, „makes for gorgeously beautiful tone colours“ (Der Kurier). The excellent cast includes Luca Salsi („Italy’s finest baritone today“, Financial Times) in the title role, René Pape („in sumptuous voice“, Financial Times) as his contrahent Fiesco, as well as Marina Rebeka and Charles Castronovo as the loving couple Amelia and Adorno who „together create islands of bliss in duet and action.“ (Neue Zürcher Zeitung). Valery Gergiev provides for an excellent musical realization, the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor perform superbly: “The Wiener Philharmoniker seemed to have virtually conspired with the conductor and the work, shining into every hidden sound angle, playing out all their sovereignty and opera experience” (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades)
Hans Neuenfels, the luminary of modern director’s theatre, provides a compelling, multi-layered staging of Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame at Salzburg Festival. In the stark, mostly abstract sets by Christian Schmidt, Neuenfels “draws gripping performances from a strong cast” (The New York Times) including Brandon Jovanovich and Evgenia
Muraveva in the title roles of Herman and Lisa and legendary singer Hanna Schwarz as Countess. Mariss Jansons, “a compelling director in his element” (The New York Times) makes his rare appearance as an opera conductor, at the helm of the Wiener Philharmoniker – “Another triumph in this hot festival summer!“ (Neue Zürcher Zeitung). Mariss Jansons, “maybe the best connoisseur of this unjustly neglected opera” (Süddeutsche Zeitung), turns this Queen of Spades with as much verve as sensitivity into a “captivating musical drama” (Die Zeit).
Salome
Richard Strauss’s opera at the Salzburg Festival, staged by Romeo Castellucci at the Felsenreitschule, was nothing short of a sensation! Debuting in the title role, Asmik Grigorian propelled herself to international stardom with her mesmerizing singing and acting abilities. The exceptional soprano recently won the International Opera Award as best singer. To witness Maestro Franz Welser-Möst performing together with the Wiener Philharmoniker and an outstanding cast “makes you think you are hearing the piece in its most perfect incarnation yet” (Financial Times). “Asmik Grigorian sweeps all in her wake in the title role of Strauss’s opera. […] Hers is a Salome to end all Salomes. […] In total, it is stunning…” (Financal Times) “thrilling” (Spiegel Online) “A breathtakingly dense, musically epoch-making […] Salome, which brought the house down!” (Neue Zürcher Zeitung)
The Exclusive Subscription Concert Series – Andris Nelsons
Mahler’s unusually expansive five-movement Symphony No. 7 is among the composer’s most ambiguous and enigmatic works, often regarded as his most challenging to perform. As part of the Wiener Philharmoniker’s acclaimed Subscription Concert Series, Andris Nelsons leads the orchestra in a new chapter of their Mahler cycle, reaffirming his stature as “one of the most celebrated conductors of our time” (Salzburger Nachrichten). Under his baton, the Seventh becomes “magic in the Golden Hall. […] Rarely has one heard this work so finely chiselled, so dynamically balanced. An event.” (Kurier)
Andris Nelsons conducts Mahler and Berg
In this concert, the Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Andris Nelsons, present a “heavenly” pairing: Alban Berg’s “Violin Concerto, To the Memory of an Angel”, alongside Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, whose final movement sets “Das himmlische Leben” (Heavenly Life) to music. With this performance, young German-American violinist August Hadelich gave his debut at the Salzburg Festival and thrilled the press: “The fabulous Augustin Hadelich filled the difficult solo part with emotion and fragility, his performance was sensitive and yet glowing.” (Die Presse). With Mahler’s Fourth, Andris Nelsons creates “a Mahler miracle of quiet tones” (Volksblatt), joined by German soprano Christiane Karg as the soloist of the finale. The concert is part of the Wiener Philharmoniker’s Mahler cycle with Nelsons. Program: Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4; Alban Berg: Violin Concerto „To the Memory of an Angel”
Andris Nelsons conducts Mahler and Bartok
Andris Nelsons and the Wiener Philharmoniker explore the brilliance of Béla Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and the emotional depths of Gustav Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Passionate but restrained, Andris Nelsons conducts both masterpieces with superb clarity and precision: Mahler’s famous Adagietto unfolds with “unreal shimmer and dark glow” (BR Klassik). Yefim Bronfman is the soloist in one of the most difficult piano concertos ever written and impresses with “impeccable technique, expressive power, and a touch of swing” (Der Standard). The concert is part of the Wiener Philharmoniker’s Mahler cycle with Andris Nelsons.
The Exclusive Subscription Concert Series – Leonidas Kavakos & Herbert Blomstedt
The Subscription Concert Series of the Wiener Philharmoniker from the Golden Hall of the famous Musikverein are special concerts reserved for subscribers. Due to the exceptional quality of the concerts and the limited offer, the average waiting time for subscribers is more than 10 years. With this series, these very special concerts are made available for the first time audiovisually to a wider audience worldwide. Conductor Herbert Blomstedt, honorary member of the orchestra, is a regular guest at the subscription concerts. For this one he chose Carl Nielsen’s Fifth Symphony: “It is full of Danish humour: very serious and at the same time very comic and yet sublime.” As a counterpoint to Nielsen’s exciting experimentation, Greek star violinist Leonidas Kavakos interprets Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto, one of the most beloved and frequently performed works in the violin concerto repertoire. “Leonidas Kavakos, together with the Philharmoniker, makes this beautiful work a true celebration.” (klassik-begeistert.de)
The Exclusive Subscription Concert Series – Christian Thielemann
The Subscription Concert Series of the Wiener Philharmoniker from the Golden Hall of the famous Musikverein are special concerts reserved for subscribers. Due to the exceptional quality of the concerts and the limited offer, the average waiting time for subscribers is more than 10 years. With this series, these very special concerts are made available for the first time audiovisually to a wider audience worldwide. For this subscription concert, the Wiener Philharmoniker asked a long-time artistic companion to take the podium: more than 140 concerts and a multitude of celebrated recordings connect Christian Thielemann with the traditional Viennese orchestra. The live recording of his debut on the podium at the Vienna Musikverein almost 23 years ago promptly became a reference recording. On the programme then as now: Richard Strauss’ monumental Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony). This work, often regarded as the final and climax of the “symphonic poem” genre, is juxtaposed with Arnold Schönberg’s probably most famous tonal composition, the orchestral version of the string sextet Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night). Composed in 1899, this highly expressive work by the 25-year-old Schönberg reads, in retrospect, like a swan song to the 19th century. “Schönberg and Strauss rarely sound so grandiose.“ (Kurier) “A truly persuasive performance.”(The New York Times)
The Exclusive Subscription Concert Series – Martha Argerich & Zubin Mehta
The Subscription Concert Series of the Wiener Philharmoniker from the Golden Hall of the famous Musikverein, are special concerts reserved for subscribers, hence the name. But to become a subscriber, due to the exceptional quality of the concerts and the limited offer, the average waiting time is more than 10 years. With this series, these very special concerts are made available for the first time audiovisually to a wider audience worldwide. With Zubin Mehta and Martha Argerich “two veteran musicians gave rise to real storms of enthusiasm in the Musikverein.” (Wiener Zeitung) “The power of true ‘Old Masters’ – Martha Argerich sat at the piano as spiritedly sparkling as ever. Just as Bruckner’s Fourth subsequently succeeded in becoming a magnificent dialogue between orchestra and conductor: Bruckner impulsive, intimate, poignant, stirring.” (Kronenzeitung)
Program: Robert Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor / From Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 1 Von fremden Ländern und Menschen; Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 “Romantic”