This film by Bengt Wennehorst is a portrait of one of the absolute foremost and sought-after conductors of our time. With his own words, charm and humour, Christian Thielemann tells of his childhood and youth in the outskirts of Berlin, how he played the piano as a five-year-old and how, just as early on, he got to accompany his music-loving parents to concerts and opera performances once or twice a week. Extensive video material provides insights into his intensive rehearsal work and documents acclaimed concert and opera performances of his career. The portrait includes interviews with artists such as actress and director Katharina Thalbach, opera singers Anja Kampe and Renée Fleming and Albena Danailova, concert master of the Wiener Philharmoniker.
Lohengrin
The Salzburg Easter Festival’s production of Lohengrin, directed by Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito, presents Wagner’s classic as a crime thriller in Vienna. Christian Thielemann, acclaimed Wagner expert, conducts the Vienna State Opera orchestra, while David Butt Philip shines as Lohengrin. Malin Byström’s Elsa reveals a less innocent character, and Anja Kampe delivers a powerful Ortrud. Martin Gantner’s Telramund displays precision. The production excels in stage and orchestral synergy, offering nuanced performances and delicate choral singing made possible by Thielemann’s baton. “When it comes to Wagner, Christian Thielemann really is in a class of his own” (Der Standard)
Salzburg Easter Festival 2017: Die Walküre
In 1967 the first Salzburg Easter Festival presented a now legendary production of Richard Wagner’s “Ring des Nibelungen” tetralogy, led by Herbert von Karajan. The 50th anniversary of the festival in 2017 saw a new production of “Die Walküre” by famous Bulgarian director Vera Nemirova which is set in a unique “re-creation” of this very first Salzburg Easter Festival opera production in the set by Günther Schneider-Siemssen. Christian Thielemann conducts his Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and an illustrous cast including Anja Harteros, Anja Kampe, Vitalij Kowaljow and Peter Seiffert. The critics are full of praise for this “musically ravishing Walküre” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and ist “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).