Le nozze di Figaro

Directed by Alfred Dorfer and Kateryna Sokolova, the Theater an der Wien presented an abridged, concentrated Corona version of Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro”, the first part of the successful collaboration between Mozart and Da Ponte. Alongside Robert Gleadow as the “outstanding Figaro” (Der Standard) and the “fabulous Austrian bass-baritone Florian Boesch” (nmz.de) as Almaviva, the orchestra, Concentus Musicus Wien, plays the leading role: “This orchestra is ideal for Mozart, because the combination of historical performance practice and the highest interpretative quality is in a class of its own.” (bachtrack.com)

The Creation (Die Schöpfung)

To mark its 40th anniversary, the International Baroque Days of Melk Abbey are returning to their roots: Under the musical direction of Stefan Gottfried, the Concentus Musicus Wien, the Bach Choir Salzburg, together with soloists Anna Lucia Richter, Michael Schade and Florian Boesch, perform Joseph Haydn’s famous oratorio “Die Schöpfung” (The Creation). First performed in Vienna in 1798, Haydn’s three-part oratorio is still considered a reference work today. The creation of the world, the chaos of all beginnings is marked by picturesque depictions of nature in the composition.

Saul

In 2009, Claus Guth staged a highly impressive “Messiah” at the Theater an der Wien; with “Saul”, he created again breathtaking musical theater at its finest. Florian Boesch in the title role dominates the production as the ruler slipping into madness. Boesch is an elemental force that attracts attention on stage like a black hole. As David, British countertenor Jake Arditti gives a perfect presentation of the change from the innocent boy to the man who, after many dramatic events, becomes Saul’s successor. “The pure Handel stroke of luck!” (Neue Musikzeitung). Anna Prohaska (Merab), Giulia Semenzato (Michal) and Rupert Charlesworth (Jonathan) perform convincingly the roles of Saul’s children who succumb to David’s physical and spiritual charms. The Freiburger Barockorchester under Christopher Moulds holds a finely textured balance between powerful ensemble and delicate solo passages of Handel’s score. The Arnold Schoenberg Choir’s nuanced singing – alternately exulting, admonitory or mournful – is as inspiring as the sound of the renowned period-instrument ensemble. “Handel vividly, today, as a mirror of the metamorphoses of power.” (Kurier) / “Florian Boesch as Saul is a vocal and acting elemental force, simply an ideal cast.” (Die Presse)

Messiah

To mark the 250th anniversary of Handel´s death, Vienna´s Theater an der Wien realized a truly extraordinary project: the staging of Messiah, the composer´s most popular oratorio.Collaborating with an exquisite cast of singers, Claus Guth, one of today´s highly renowned stage directors, delivered “an emotionally and psychologically charged sequence of images … “The audience was thrilled” (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

Thielemann conducts Bach’s Christmas Oratorio

By performing Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Christian Thielemann, the new chief conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden, fulfilled a long-cherished wish: he always wanted to conduct this work and in Dresden he found the ideal conditions. At the same time he brought it back on the schedule of the Staatskappelle after a pause of over 20 years. The Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 by Johann Sebastian Bach was written for the Christmas season of 1734 in Leipzig. Christian Thielemann leads the Staatskapelle Dresden along with a roster of top soloists: Sibylla Rubens (Soprano), Christa Mayer (Alto), Daniel Behle Tenor) and Florian Boesch (Bass).

Making of “Die Jahreszeiten”

“Jubilation!” (Kronen Zeitung) in the Great Festival Hall in Salzburg for Joseph Haydn’s oratorio The Seasons with Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting the Vienna Philharmonic. The conductor tunes his “Wiener” to peak performance and shows as few others can how “to coax the tenderest expressive pianissimo shiver from the violins and violas into the almost inaudible”, enthuses the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Salzburg Festival 2012: Ouverture Spirituelle – Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Nikolaus Harnoncourt places the emphasis on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Ouverture Spirituelle, featuring sacred music within the Salzburg Festival, by choosing two seldom heard works by the Salzburg-born composer. Together with the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and his Concentus Musicus Wien ensemble, the Mozart specialist conducts the Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento K. 243 and the Missa longa in C major K. 262 in the unique venue that is Salzburg Cathedral, a jewel of Baroque architecture. These two highly expressive works, written by the virtuoso composer when he was a mere twenty years old, were first performed in that very building. “Harnoncourt revealed the historic richness of Mozart’s Litanei … in the finest colours and dynamic shading”, wrote Die Kleine Zeitung. The Austrian baritone Florian Boesch and mezzosoprano Elisabeth von Magnus delivered their parts in especially sensitive manner. Jeremy Ovenden’s vocal line is truly elegant coupled with that of the ambitious Spanish soprano Sylvia Schwatz. “Ovenden’s attractive, bright tenor … his rhythm, diction and easy flexibility of voice are exemplary”, according to The Sunday Times. Rarely revealed tapestries from the prince-archbishop’s treasury were hung in the cathedral especially for this concert, in order to give a better impression of how the works might have sounded in Mozart’s day.

Popelka conducts Schönberg

“Schönberg is one of my heroes”, conductor Petr Popelka said in an interview (Der Standard) – and you can really hear his dedication to the composer as he leads the well-oiled machine of 400 musicians, consisting of the Wiener Symphoniker, three choirs and 5 soloists in their interpretation of Gurre-Lieder: “Perfectly organised, always striving for a balance between pointillist precision, a sense of the grotesque and romantic emphasis” (Die Presse). The soloists shone, above all Vera-Lotte Boecker as a “youthfully blossoming Tove with a bright, secure high register” (Die Prse) PROGRAM: Schönberg: Gurre-Lieder

Saul

After his impressive Messiah of 2009, Claus Guth once again succeeds in a breathtaking realisation of a Handel oratorio with Saul. Florian Boesch in the title role dominates the production as the ruler slipping into madness. He is an elemental force that attracts attention on stage like a black hole. As David, British countertenor Jake Arditti gives a perfect presentation of the change from the innocent boy to the man who, after many dramatic events, becomes Saul’s successor. “The pure Handel stroke of luck!” (Neue Musikzeitung). Anna Prohaska, Giulia Semenzato and Rupert Charlesworth perform convincingly the roles of Saul’s children who succumb to David’s physical and spiritual charms. The Freiburger Barockorchester under Christopher Moulds holds a finely textured balance between powerful ensemble and delicate solo passages of Handel’s score. The Arnold Schönberg Choir’s nuanced singing – alternately exulting, admonitory or mournful – is as inspiring as the sound of the renowned period-instrument ensemble.