Accompanying the music recordings and masterclasses, Daniel Barenboim shares his lifelong dedication to and preoccupation with Beethoven in an extensive interview that captivates with wit, anecdotes as well as profound truths.
Beyond Perfection – The pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli – a name that provokes almost a sense of awe and intimidation, even among his piano-playing peers. It is a name that represents the highest degree of perfection, a quest for beauty that surpasses that of any other piano virtuoso. However Michelangeli also had a reputation for cancelling concerts at short notice and was consequently portrayed in the media as a somewhat neurotic artist. “Beyond Perfection – Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli“ is the result of a 30-year search that has resulted in unusual interviews with those who knew him, and has also uncovered a wealth of new archive material: We get to experience Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli as he has never been seen before – and more importantly, as he has never been heard before. We also witness the maestro’s struggle back to his former perfection after suffering a devastating heart attack. This homage to Michelangeli provides the first comprehensive and in-depth portrait of a brilliant pianist who achieved mythical status.
Mozart’s own Violin
Christoph Koncz brings Mozart’s violin back to life: together with Les Musiciens du Louvre, the esteemed violinist plays the Violin concertos Nos. 4 & 5. Christoph Koncz plays on Mozart’s original Salzburg concert violin, made available by the International Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg. This was the violin on which Mozart had played as concertmaster in the Salzburg Hofkapelle.
Salzburg Festival 2020: Daniel Barenboim plays Beethoven
“The states of mind that are incomprehensible in words, as Beethoven set them in music tragically, sadly, comically, lonely, solemnly, cheerfully, wrathfully, pathetically, or parodistically in the Diabelli Variations, Daniel Barenboim conveys in manifold elegance” Salzburger Nachrichten. PROGRAM Beethoven: Sonata for Piano No. 31; 33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli – “Diabelli Variations”
Salzburg Festival 2020: Martha Argerich and Renaud Capuçon
“The manual skills, the virtuosic and differentiated use of the pedal and the relaxed arm position and sound quality of 79-year-old Argerich are simply unique. A great moment of chamber music” BR Klassik. PROGRAM Beethoven: Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 8; Prokofiev: Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2; Franck: Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major
Salzburg Festival 2020: Thielemann conducts Wagner & Bruckner
“Ignited monumental chamber music: Together with an orchestra that breathes with her, Garanca proved that she currently represents the non plus ultra in the mezzosoprano
category. Grandiose the fusion of intensity and noble sound” Der Standard. PROGRAM Wagner: Five Poems for female voice and piano “Wesendonck Lieder”; Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 “Romantic”
Salzburg Festival 2020: Mozarteum Orchestra & Fischer
“One of the most important Mozart interpreters of our days provided great excitement at the final matinee on Sunday: Ádám Fischer at the podium inspired the musicians to remarkable performances” Die Presse. PROGRAM Mozart: Symphony No. 1, K. 16; Serenade, K. 203 – “Colloredo”; Symphony No. 41, K. 551 – “Jupiter”
Salzburg Festival 2020: Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov
“…the voice of Netrebko grabs you as hard as it does. Already her first appearance is wonderful stage magic. Still she has this unstrained big full height, still she crawls into every role and lets all her vocal power shine out from there” Süddeutsche Zeitung. PROGRAM Arias and Scenes from Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, The Sleeping Beauty, Eugene Onegin and Iolanta
Salzburg Festival 2020: András Schiff plays Schubert and Janácek
“The virtuosic and at the same time musical brilliance made the audience hold its breath. An experience” Der Standard. PROGRAM Schubert: Four Impromptus, D. 935 . Piano Sonata, D. 840, Impromptu No. 3, D. 899, Moment musical No. 3, D. 780; Janácek: In the Mists (V mlhách), Piano Sonata 1. X. 1905, Dobrou noc! (Good Night!); Bartók: Kanásztánc (Swine-herd‘s Dance) from For Children
Salzburg Festival 2020: Juan Diego Flórez Recital
“You have to start with the encore. Then you can understand why there were standing ovations and thunderous applause for Juan Diego Flórez, why the words ?great moment of the festival’ were heard among the audience. For the encore Juan Diego Flórez comes on stage with his guitar…a tango, then ?Cielito Lindo’, he lets the audience sing along, ?Ay ay ay ay’. A born entertainer” BR Klassik. Works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Strauss, Bellini, Verdi, Lalo, Massenet and Puccini