Together with the “Ave, verum corpus” and the Requiem, the Mass in C minor K. 427 is one of Mozart’s last sacred works. And, like the Requiem, it too is incomplete: the Kyrie and Gloria were performed in Salzburg in 1783, but only part of the Credo was written, and none of the Agnus Dei. The work is marked by an archaic flavor reminiscent of Handel’s music, which Mozart had developed a taste for in his later years. Though few people would spontaneously associate Leonard Bernstein with 18th-century sacred music, this production stunningly confirms the words of a major Munich daily: “After a few bars, one is conquered by Bernstein’s mastery in creating atmosphere and communicating moods.” This live concert with the Chorus and Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio was filmed at the ornate Basilica of Waldsassen in Franconia (Germany), one of the first architectural adaptations of the Italian Baroque style to German taste. Significantly, this work also represents a melding of Italian vocal writing and German contrapuntal art.
La Cenerentola
The popularity of Rossini’s delightful fairy-tale opera is, to a great extent, due to Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s now legendary production, first seen at La Scala of Milan in 1971. Claudio Abbado, who was then the artistic director of La Scala, has put together for this production a cast – including Frederica von Stade, Francisco Araiza and Paolo Montarsolo – that boasts an outstanding affinity for Rossini’s humor in addition to peerless musicality.
Richard Strauss Gala – New Year’s Eve Concert 1992 – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
The programme includes Don Juan, Burleske, Till Eulenspiegel’s lustige Streiche, Finale from “Der Rosenkavalier”.
Carnegie Christmas Hall Concert
The film features thirty musical pieces performed at Carnegie Hall on December 8, 1991. Soloists like Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade, and Wynton Marsalis perform on a tiered stage before Christmas-themed panels. The uninterrupted program blends sacred and secular works from various traditions, including jazz, spirituals, European carols, and songs by composers like Hugh Martin and Mel Tormé. Performers also include the Wynton Marsalis Septet, the American Boychoir, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s under André Previn.