After the great success of his Beethoven cycle, Christian Thielemann now turns with his new orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden, to the symphonic works of Johannes Brahms. And once again he succeeds in presenting a new and authoritative reading of these compositions. His conductorial trademarks – broad soundscapes originating in calm and composed tempi, a sense of romanticism only heightened by clarity and a finely judged balance, with overwhelming and sometimes even brutal climaxes as stark contrast – cause Brahms’s symphonies to shine in a fresh light. Thielemann once again consolidates his reputation as the most genuine successor of the great German conductors of the past. “We can’t think of any other conductor than Thielemann at present who has all those endowments, which used to be the (original) trade mark of German maestros.” Asahi Shimbun (Tokyo) Bonus: A one-hour documentary with Christian Thielemann, providing an in-depth look into his interpretation of Brahms.
Wagner Christian Thielemann – Jonas Kaufmann
In memory of the great Richard Wagner and mindful of their own Wagner tradition, the Staatskapelle Dresden staged this glittering gala concert in the Semperoper on the eve of Richard Wagner’s bicentenary. They were directed by their principal conductor Christian Thielemann, indisputably one of the great Wagner conductors of our time, and he was joined by the hottest young heroic tenor of recent years, Jonas Kaufmann. The programme features the overtures to the Wagner operas written and premiered in Dresden – 1842 Rienzi, 1843 The Flying Dutchman and 1845 Tannhäuser – as well as great tenor scenes from Rienzi, Tannhäuser and Lohengrin. “Star tenor Jonas Kaufmann was celebrated with bravos and tumultuous applause – as were the musicians and Thielemann.” (Focus)