Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Miles Davis, this dream project brings together an all-star sextet led by pianist and composer John Beasley, who joined Miles Davis’ band in his twenties. Joined by Sean Jones, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Ben Williams, Terreon Gully, and Beasley, the ensemble interpret Miles’s music with their signature grooves, bold harmonies, and inspired improvisation blending the modal beauty of “Kind of Blue,” the electric fire of “Bitches Brew,” and the funk of “Amandla”.
Mahler, Live
“Mahler, Live” is a dialogue between two outstanding ballets, the world premiere of “4” by Martin Schläpfer and Hans van Manen‘s icon of dance history “Live”. The new director of the Vienna State Ballet Martin Schläpfer not only presents his first own program at the Vienna State Opera with the premiere “Mahler, Live” but also introduce himself as choreographer with his world premiere “4” to Gustav Mahler‘s 4th Symphony. The result is a great ballet for the entire ensemble, which is preceded by an icon of dance history at the opening of the evening, with Hans van Manen‘s “Live”. For Martin Schläpfer music is a central basis of his work. Whether a large symphony or a chamber music miniature – the scores he chooses are usually the starting point for his works, provide the framework with their architectures, supply the energy for his tension-filled movement images. Hans van Manen‘s “Live” is the first video ballet in dance history and a masterful puzzle game with the mechanisms of perception. First performed in Amsterdam in 1979, “Live” has so far been danced exclusively by Het Nationale Ballett. With this new production in Vienna, Hans van Manen entrusts his work to another company for the first time.
Sound of Freedom
The Soundtrack to Liberty – From the French Revolution to fall of the Iron Curtain. Music can move, comfort and encourage like no other medium. Social upheaval and political songs have marched hand in hand since the French Revolution, probably even before then. Music is a tool for mobilisation. It is the embodiment of the ideals and the hope for a better life. It galvanises the oppressed, spurs on the resistance and fires on the revolutionaries. The two part documentary Sound of Freedom goes back to the roots of this music of hope, rebellion, of the mavericks and the oppressed. This is the first time the sound of freedom and protest is being considered in its full historical context; not just within the microcosm of the Sixties and the civil rights movement, but with the narrative arc stretching from the 18th century to the present day. Part I: From the chansons of the French Revolution to the labour movement and the resistance against the Nazi Regime / Part II: From the hymns of the civil rights movement and the fight against apartheid to the call for sexual freedom and equality
The Berlin Concert – Anne-Sophie Mutter & Lang Lang
Celebrating 120 Years of Deutsche Grammophon, The Berlin Concert features performances from DG’s unbeatable roster of artists: Anne-Sophie Mutter, considered one of the greatest violinists of all time and Lang Lang, pioneering pianist and global cultural icon, accompanied by the Staatskapelle Berlin under the direction of Manfred Honeck. Works by W.A. Mozart, L.v. Beethoven and a german premiere of John Williams’ “Markings” are on the program of this highly anticipated concert in Berlin´s famous Philharmonie. PROGRAM L.v. Beethoven: Overture to Fidelio, op. 72; Leonore Overture No. 3, op. 72b, Romance in F for violin and orchestra, op. 50; W.A. Mozart: Piano Concerto in C minor, KV 491; John Williams: Markings for violin, string orchestra and harp
The Forbidden City Concert – Carmina Burana
A spectacular concert at the site of Beijing’s Forbidden City. The concert features the renowned Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Long Yu, who perform Orff’s Carmina Burana with Aida Garifullina, Toby Spence and Ludovic Tézier, before being joined by Daniil Trifonov for Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 and Mari Samuelsen for Max Richter’s Violin piece “November”. Length 114′ (complete repertoire) / 71′ (Carmina Burana & Jasmine Flower Song) / 43′ (Piano Concert & November)
Veni Domine – Advent & Christmas at the Sistine Chapel
The Vatican Library is home to the most important and extensive collection of sacred music manuscripts in the world and the Sistine Chapel Choir has unlimited access to this extraordinary archive. The Sistine Chapel choir, the oldest choir in the world, has sung this music for centuries, and in recent years has reached new musical heights of excellence. The Director of the Sistine Chapel, Monsignor Massimo Palombella, has taken on an exciting double challenge. On the one hand, he is presenting polyphonic works from the Vatican Library in new editions reflecting the very highest standards of contemporary academic scholarship in polyphony. On the other hand, he is also developing performance practices for the choir to bring even the most intricate and impossibly difficult motets to life in a way which respects and clarifies the liturgical meaning of the music. Many of the works on this recording by famous names such as Palestrina and Desprez, all written to form part of Papal Celebrations for Advent and Christmas, have never been heard before.
Nijinsky – A Ballet by John Neumeier
„Nijinsky“ is the title of this „choreographic approach“ to a dance phenomenon that has been part of Neumeier‘s life ever since the beginning of his career. During his approximately ten years as a dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky set a new standard both technically and expressively, while in his choreographic work he pointed the way towards modern dance. His personal fate and mental illness that forced him to spend the last 30 years of his life in various asylums and in the keeping of his wife gave his short artistic career an even more aweinspiring and sensational quality. All three aspects – the dancer, the choreographer and the person Nijinsky – form the starting point for John Neumeier‘s latest creation. Neumeier, who as early as 1979 presented a short ballet „Vaslav“, is regarded as one of the leading Nijinsky experts worldwide. Nevertheless, it was not without reluctance that he took up the task of honouring through dance a dance legend: „In creating a work about a historical person, what aspect should we concentrate on? Who was he truly: The man? The artist? Which witness, what information can we trust, which theories should one follow? What point of view can we take towards the complex puzzle Nijinsky? An instinctive choice must be made…“ and sensational quality.
Joan Baez – Live in New York
In a career spanning nearly six decades, legendary folk singer Joan Baez has been a pioneering figure in both music and social justice. Emerging from the ranks of groundbreaking male contemporaries like Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan, Baez brought a much needed feminist presence and perspective to the protest music of the 1960s, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to political and social activism in civil rights, human rights and the environment. On the occasion of Baez’s 75th birthday in January 2016, GREAT PERFORMANCES presents a star-studded concert from New York City’s Beacon Theater to celebrate Baez’s wide-ranging influence and impact, featuring performances by Paul Simon, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Judy Collins, Damien Rice, David Bromberg, Nano Stern and Richard Thompson
Birth of a Legend – The Three Tenors
In July 1990, on the eve of the World Cup final in Italy, something happened that would change the world of classical music forever. Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and José Carreras, the three greatest tenors of their generation, appeared on stage together: the premiere of the legendary all-star formation ‘The 3 Tenors’. This historic concert in the antique Roman Baths of Caracalla marked the beginning of a new era in classical music.The ‘3 Tenors’ were more than just a musical event; they were a cultural phenomenon. Hundreds of thousands of spectators in sold-out stadiums and millions of television viewers around the world were enchanted by these extraordinary voices. The passion, dedication and virtuosity they brought to the stage made people’s hearts beat faster and tears of emotion flow. The 3 tenors changed the image of classical music, overcoming the boundaries between genres and inspiring a wide audience with the beauty and fascination of opera and classical music. This programme shows highlights from the Baths of Caracalla and also from the concerts with which the 3 Tenors celebrated triumphs around the world from 1996 onwards. With impressions from rehearsals and the tour, a variety of insights behind the scenes and statements by Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, José Carreras and the conductor Zubin Mehta, the film conveys all the magic of this classical music legend.
The Three Tenors – The Birth of a Legend
Excitement after a spectacular open-air concert. At the 1990 Football World Cup, the three tenors, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti met the first time together with the conductor Zubin Mehta for an extraordinary musical experience. Six thousand excited live viewers and one billion watching on television. The beginning of a new era of classical music. In the following years, the 3 Tenors held audiences around the world under their spell in over thirty performances. They helped to bring about an unexpected flourishing of classical music. The concert in the Caracalla Baths of Rome was the Birth of a Legend. The programme interweaves performance and background information, including previously unseen material.