For the very first time in its history, the Wiener Philharmoniker are performing a complete Bruckner cycle with worlwide renowned Bruckner expert Christian Thielemann at the podium. The second symphony is part of this large-scale Bruckner Cycle, which extends to the composer‘s 200th birthday in 2024, performed at Vienna’s beautiful Musikverein. The orchestra, which premiered four of the nine Bruckner symphonies, is more familiar with this music than any other ensemble. Bruckner’s powerful and sonically grandiose symphonies never cease to amaze. For the performance of the second symphony the press was full of praise: With the Wiener Philharmoniker, Thielemann creates a “combination of formal perfection, stringency and nuances, complemented by wonderful wind solos” (Wiener Zeitung).
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca becomes a musical highlight with two much acclaimed role debuts of star singers Piotr Beczala and Carlos Álvarez at the Vienna State Opera in the revived, historic staging of Margarethe Wallmann. Beczala is undoubtely “one of the extraordinary singers of our time” (Der Standard), at his side is Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan as Primadonna Floria Tosca, making her house debut in Vienna. Marco Armiliato conducts the brilliantly playing Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper with love for detail and full of energy.
Simon Boccanegra
Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra is regarded by connoisseurs as an insider tip of oppressive topicality: men make history and women are the victims. A gloomy atmosphere, political power struggles, family dramas – live from the Vienna State Opera in the production of grandmaster Peter Stein with an excellent cast, starring Thomas Hampson in the title role, Francesco Meli as Gabriele Adorno and Marina Rebeka as the all-outshining Amelia. In the orchestra pit: Evelino Pidò.
Falstaff
The love-crazed, fat, old Falstaff becomes the laughing stock of a women’s intrigue. In Giuseppe Verdi’s comic opera – opulently staged by director David McVicar – Carlos Álvarez shines in the role of a vocally grandiose and stunningly funny Sir John. Impressive also the rest of the ensemble – above all, Vienna’s favorite Simon Keenlyside as Ford.
Die Frau ohne Schatten
Under Christian Thielemann’s baton, the new production of Richard Strauss’ Frau ohne Schatten at the Vienna State Opera becomes a much acclaimed musical highlight “with a top-class protagonist quintet” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and a sensationally playing Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper. French director Vincent Huguet gives his debut in Vienna and tells the story as a complex fairy tale, rich in images. Christian Thielemann “presents the most powerful and poetic Strauss conducting in decades” hails the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
L’Orfeo
Iván Fischer conducts and stages Monteverdi’s opera L’Orfeo at the stunning Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza. Fischer has reconstructed the original ending by composing the music himself, based on the libretto of the first performance of the opera called La favola d’Orfeo. The splendid cast, among them young Hungarian soprano Emoke Baráth and Baroque specialist Núria Rial is accompanied by the excellent playing Budapest Festival Orchestra. “Absolutely worth seeing and listening to“ praises Neue Musikzeitung.
Tosca
French film and stage director Christophe Honoré presents Puccini’s verismo masterpiece as an opera about opera and brings the legendary prima donna Catherine Malfitano back on stage. Young soprano Angel Blue gives a highly acclaimed debut as Floria Tosca with a “warm and golden yet immensly powerful voice” (New York Times). At her side as Cavaradossi sings Joseph Calleja, one of the top tenors of his generation. “Puccini’s opera triumphed in Aix-en-Provence under the baton of Daniele Rustioni” (Le Monde).
Krokus play Baloise Session
Since 1975, Krokus has stood for high-quality, honest-to-goodness, hand-made power rock. No other Swiss rock band sells albums and its back catalogue worldwide like Krokus. The band has already sold over 15 million records, toured the world, and received gold and platinum discs in the USA and Canada. The milestones in their rock career are dotted around the world: from Australia and the USA to Mexico, Russia, Japan, and China. Krokus was the first Swiss band to sell out the legendary Hallenstadion in Zurich and has received a Diamond Disc for selling one million albums in Switzerland alone. In the course of their legendary career, Krokus has rocked over 2,000 shows on five continents, countless cities, unique locations, crazy gigs, and loyal fans. The legendary English journalist Malcolm Dome quite rightly said: ‚If you look at the longterm output of this band, Krokus is clearly one of the best hard rock bands of the last 40 years.”
Alceste
The Belgian dancer, choreographer and multi-talent Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui who has worked with top artists across disciplines like superstar Beyoncé, interprets Gluck’s late Baroque opera as an impressive symbiosis between dance and music. The singers cast, including Dorothea Röschmann, is compelling right up to the small roles. Conductor Antonello Manacorda and the Bayerisches Staatsorchester play phenomenally, the chorus of the Bayerische Staatsoper “sings magnificent” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung).
Lucia di Lammermoor
In Laurent Pelly’s dream-like staging of Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, one of the most important bel canto works of all time, a top vocal cast shines at the Wiener Staatsoper. When the phenomenal Olga Peretyatko shows the gripping downfall of Lucia, “music and theatre merge into an explosive mixture” (Wiener Zeitung). Juan Diego Flórez, the bel canto superstar, is “probably the world’s best Edgardo” (Kronenzeitung). George Petean joins them as Enrico in the emotional triangle of love, hate and passion. With Evelino Pidò on the rostrum, the orchestra of the Wiener Staatsoper excels under this “ideal master of bel canto music” (Die Presse).