Since 2013, Christian Thielemann has led the Easter Festival as artistic director. Due to Covid-19, the 2021 edition was moved to autumn. Together with the Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann presented Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto with Denis Matsuev, one of the most sought-after pianists of his generation. The second part featured the symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss, one of the orchestra’s showpieces. “Thielemann attached immense importance to subtleties and also took time to savour the phrases. The soloists from his own ranks also proved to be excellent, especially concertmaster Matthias Wollong with his long violin solo. Standing ovations.” (Kurier) PROGRAM Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor; Lyadov: The Music Box, Op. 32; Strauss: Ein Heldenleben
Salzburg Easter Festival 2021: Mozart Requiem
Artistic director Christian Thielemann opens the Salzburg Easter Festival 2021 with Mozart’s Requiem. The excellent Bachelor Salzburg and a top-class quartet of soloists with Golda Schultz, Christa Mayer, Sebastian Kohlhepp and René Pape make the concert a dignified commemoration of the dead. “Mozart’s Requiem sounded at the highest level, with great balance and attention to well-dosed, rather restrained, even reverent sound architecture. Here one realised once again how wonderful it can be when conductor and musicians are so unconditionally attuned to each other.” Kurier. PROGRAM: Mozart Requiem K. 626