Schedule

Antonello Manacorda leads the Orchestra and Choir of Teatro La Fenice in a performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s beloved opera Die Zauberflöte (‘The Magic Flute’). Mozart probably started to compose his masterpiece in May 1791, less than six months before his death. The work’s libretto is written by Emanuel Schikaneder. In its fairy tale-like narrative, Prince Tamino is commissioned by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina, who has been captured by priest Sarastro. Accompanied by bird-catcher Papageno, Tamino begins his quest. After finding Pamina in Sarastro’s territory, Tamino is first subjected to a number of trials in order to prove he is worth marrying Pamina. Die Zauberflöte features wonderful arias, including the famous 'Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen' ("Hell's vengeance boils in my heart"), a virtuoso aria for coloratura soprano sung by the Queen of the Night. Among the soloists are Goran Jurić, Antonio Poli, Ekaterina Sadovnikova, Alex Esposito, Olga Pudova, and Caterina di Tonno. This performance was recorded at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Italy, in 2015.

Mikhail Pletnev (piano), Karita Mattila (soprano), Violeta Urmana (alto), Thomas Moser (tenor), Eike Wilm Schulte (bass), Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor: Claudio Abbado. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 19 - Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125. The European Concert has been a tradition of the Berliner Philharmoniker since 1991. The musicians commemorate the anniversary of the orchestra's founding on May 1st, 1882, playing in different European cities. In 2000, the orchestra played at home in the Berlin Philharmonic Hall.

Renowned Mozart specialist Sir Neville Marriner (1924-2016) conducts Orchestra della Svizzera italiana in this November 2005 live recording from the Palazzo di Congressi in Lugano, Switzerland. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra, K.299 (1778) is one of the Austrian composer's most popular pieces, due to its cheerful, lighthearted mood. Soloists Patrick Gallois (flute) and Fabrice Pierre (harp) have worked on their joint interpretation, providing some discreet ornamentation to Mozart's effervescent solo lines. Mozart's Overture to The Magic Flute (1791) and his Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major (1788), jewels from the composer's late period, crown this wonderful concert program recorded on the occasion of the Mozart Anniversary Year 2006.

J. S. Bach’s six Brandenburg Concerto’s belong to his best-known works. The composer wrote these concertos between 1711 and 1720 and dedicated them in 1721 to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg. In celebration of the pieces’ 300th anniversary, Czech harpsichordist and conductor Václav Luks and the renowned Baroque ensemble Collegium 1704 recorded all six Brandenburg Concertos on historical instruments in 2021. The concertos are based on the Italian concerto grosso form, in which a group of solo instruments is set against a large ensemble. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos feature remarkable combinations of solo instruments and virtuoso solos. In this performance at the Hall of Mirrors in the Köthen Castle, Germany, Luks and his Collegium 1704 present Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047. This piece features trumpet, violin, recorder, and oboe solos. Especially outstanding are the high, virtuoso trumpet parts.

In Geneva, the Swiss city where she has spent most of her life, Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich invites her lifelong music partner, the cellist Mischa Maisky, to play chamber music. Between the pieces, Martha opens up to her daughter Annie Dutoit in an intimate interview that addresses both their relationship and the music. On the program are Ludwig van Beethoven’s 7 variations after "The Magic Flute"; Robert Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 73; Frédéric Chopin’s Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C major, Op. 3; ‘Lerchengesang’ (No. 2) from Johannes Brahms’s 4 Gesänge, Op. 70; and ‘Largo’ from Chopin’s Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65. This broadcast was recorded on November 12 and 13, 2020, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Claudio Abbado conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in a performance of Mozart’s “Haffner” Symphony No. 35, K. 385, recorded during the very first Europakonzert in the Smetana Hall in Prague, 1991. Mozart originally composed the symphony as a serenade for the family of Sigmund Haffner, a childhood friend from Salzburg in 1782. The composer made some revisions in the following year, adding multiple instruments and conducted the premiere of the four-movement piece on March 23, 1783, in Vienna. The “Haffner” Symphony, as it is known now, is a transitional work in Mozart’s career. The work was meant to be party music for Salzburg and was transformed into a symphony for Vienna.

Sigiswald Kuijken conducts baroque ensemble La Petite Bande and the Ex Tempore choir at the St. Nicolas Church in Leipzig in this recording from Bachfest 2004, a leading music festival for the performance of the Bach family's music. This concert opens with J. S. Bach’s Ascension Oratorio “Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen” (BWV 11). Written in 1735, this short work ended up being the composer’s final contribution to the genre. Due to its brevity, the oratorio was accidentally classified as a cantata in the Bach Gesamtausgabe of 1852. Next is “Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu” (Wq 240), an oratorio by Bach’s most famous son, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Soloists are Sophie Karthäuser (soprano), Patrizia Hardt (alto), Christoph Einhorn (tenor), Christoph Genz (tenor), Jan van der Crabben (baritone), and Stephan Genz (bass).

The Italian pianist Roberto Prosseda (*1975) is considered one of today’s leading interpreters of Felix Mendelssohn’s piano repertoire. Prosseda’s discovery of unknown Mendelssohn compositions made the headlines throughout Europe and led to several releases on the celebrated Decca label. In the current recital, recorded in 2015 at Teatro alle Vigne in Lodi, Italy, Prosseda performs a selection of Felix Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) (Op. 19 No. 1, Op. 38 No. 2, Op. 38 No. 6, Op. 53 No. 2, Op. 30 No. 6, and Op. 62 No. 2), Variations sérieuses, Op. 54, and Fantasie, Op. 28.

Pianist Antonio Chen Guang (China, 1994) performs Reflets dans l’eau from Claude Debussy’s Images (book I); Barbara Assiginaak’s Mzizaakok Miiniwaa Mzizaakoonsak (Horseflies and Deerflies); Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110; Ferruccio Busoni’s transcription of J. S. Bach’s Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639; and Franz Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514 (Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke), during the solo recital of the two-part semi-final round of the Piano Edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2024 (CMIM). This performance was recorded at Bourgie Hall in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

With three singers and three instrumentalists Ensemble Leones is ready for one of the finest gems of the Burgundian era: the Chansonnier Cordiforme, a manuscript of Italian and French love songs in the shape of a heart. Containing works by the most renowned polyphonists of the 15th century – Dufay, Morton, Binchois, Ockeghem – this manuscript represents a rich source of high-quality court music.

Claudio Abbado was one of the world's finest and most-respected conductors. He held the post of musical director with La Scala in Milan from 1968 to 1986, with the Vienna Opera from 1986 to 1991, and the Berlin Philharmonic from 1989 to 2002. He was strong advocate of the development of young musical talent, and was instrumental in the foundation of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the European Union Youth Orchestra, and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra. He also founded the new Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Filmmaker Paul Smaczny has followed his career over the years, regularly filming and interviewing him. In this profile, Abbado talks about his life and work, his conception of music, and his favourite compositions. Discover never-before-seen interviews combined with images of the conductor during rehearsals and concerts, interviews with friends and colleagues, and archival material. The result: a complete portrait under a new and unexpected light.

Franz Welser-Möst conducts The Cleveland Orchestra in this performance of Brahms' Symphony No. 1. Few symphonic works have taken longer to come into fruition than Brahms' first. The composer had basic ideas about this work as early as 1855 when he was just 22 years old. It saw numerous revisions before its completion, as Brahms was encouraged by his peers, most notably Clara Schumann and musicologist Philipp Spitta, to press forward despite the fear of living in Beethoven's shadow. Also included in this performance is the U.K. premiere of Jörg Widmann's Flûte en suite featuring soloist Joshua Smith. This performance was recorded as part of the 2014 BBC proms season at The Royal Albert Hall in London, U.K.

Star pianist Daniel Barenboim performs the first and second books of Isaac Albéniz’s piano suite Iberia. Composed between 1905 and 1908, Iberia is in four books of three pieces each. This masterpiece paints twelve musical portraits of Spanish regions, traditions, and atmospheres. This performance was recorded at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on August 19, 2000.

Soprano Isabel Weller (Germany, 1994) and pianist Yuriko Watanabe (Japan, 1994) perform Claude Debussy’s Nuit d’étoiles, L. 2, and Mandoline, L. 43; Joseph Haydn’s Piercing eyes, Hob. XXVIa, No. 35; ‘Die Mainacht’ from Johannes Brahms’s Vier Gesänge, Op. 43; ‘Pietà’ from Paul Hindemith’s Das Marienleben, Op. 27; Bart Visman’s Vermeer’s Gold; and ‘Lied vom Winde’ from Hugo Wolf’s Mörike-Lieder, during the semi-finals of the International Vocal Competition 2021 – Lied Duo. This performance was recorded at Het Noordbrabants Museum in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

The wild and breathtaking scenery of Austria's Roman Quarry of St. Margarethen provides an ideal and unique backdrop for this live and colourful open-air performance of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen (1875). With over 400 participants, this opulent staging of Bizet's famous opera - one of the most popular works in the genre's history - proves a feast for all the senses. Austria's Opera Festival St. Margarethen, one of Europe's most important open-air festivals, is attended by about 220, 000 opera lovers every year. The Brno National Theatre Orchestra & Chorus is led by conductor Ernst Märzendorfer. Soloists are Nadia Krasteva, Russi Nikov and Alexandr Antonenko.

Hannu Lintu conducts the Gulbenkian Orchestra in a Finnish flavoured concert program, since the concert features Cantus Articus, Op. 61 by Einojuhani Rautavaara, and Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2. Furtermore, Daniil Trifonov (1991) is star soloist in Schumann’s Piano Concerto, Op. 54, which was premiered in 1841 by Clara Wieck, wife of the composer. Trifonov rose to fame after winning prizes at both the Tchaikovsky International Chopin competition in Moscow as well as the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw. Trifonov has been called "arguably today's leading classical virtuoso,” and “without question the most astounding pianist of our age." This concert is recorded at the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon, in 2018.

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Florence Musical May) is Italy’s oldest opera and arts festival. It was founded in 1933 with the aim of presenting contemporary and forgotten operas. Over the years, the scope widened, and orchestral concerts have long been an integral part of the festival. As part of the festival’s 2021 edition, maestro Daniel Harding leads the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in a performance of Johannes Brahms’s Tragic Overture in D minor, Op. 81. Brahms composed his concert overture during the summer of 1880. With its dark and tumultuous character, it could be regarded as the serious counterpart of his more joyful Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80. This performance was recorded at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Italy, in 2021.

French conductor Adrien Perruchon and the Flanders Symphony Orchestra take us on a musical journey to Mexico with this performance of Aaron Copland’s El Salón México (1936). Inspired by a visit to the colorful night club of the same name in Mexico City, Copland composed the vibrant orchestral work, incorporating Mexican folk tunes. This performance was recorded at Concertgebouw Brugge in Belgium, on March 1, 2017.

Soprano Anabel de la Mora is accompanied by the Orquesta Sinfonica de Minería conducted by Raúl Delgado in a concert program dedicated to Mexican composers. This program, which includes the first part of the concert, features the following works: Miguel Bernal Jiménez's "Angelus", Alfonso Esparza's "Dime que sí", María Grever's "Munequita Lina", Ricardo Castro's "Intermezzo de Atzimba", Jorge del Moral's "Besos robados", and Consuelo Velázquez's "Bésame mucho". This concert was recorded at the Academia de Música del Palacio de Minería in Mexico City in 2019.

Soprano Harriet Burns (United Kingdom, 1989) and pianist Ian Tindale (United Kingdom, 1990) perform Franz Schubert’s Verklärung, D. 59; Clara Schumann’s Er ist gekommen in Sturm und Regen, Op. 12, No. 2; ‘L’heure exquise’ from Reynaldo Hahn’s Chansons grises, and ‘Le printemps’ from Hahn’s Douze rondels; ‘Herzeleid’ from Robert Schumann’s Sechs Gesänge, Op. 107; ‘Le corbeau et le renard’ from André Caplet’s Trois fables; Alphons Diepenbrock’s Die Liebende schreibt, RC 20; ‘Seranilla de la zarzuela’ from Judith Weir’s A Spanish liederbooklet; Muriel Herbert’s Renouncement; and ‘Waldmädchen’ from Hugo Wolf’s Eichendorff-Lieder, during the final round of the International Vocal Competition 2019 – Lied Duo. This performance was recorded at Theater aan de Parade in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

Recorded at the Semperoper Dresden in 2006, the orchestra of the Sächsische Staatskapelle is directed by Michael Hofstetter in a production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. Soloists are Irmgard, Vilsmaier, Hans-Joachim Ketelsen, Antigone Papoulkas and Iris Vermillion. The composer of Hansel and Gretel, Engelbert Humperdinck, wrote was born in Germany in 1854. In the 1890s, his sister, Adelheid Wette, had written a libretto based on the Grimm fairy tale, and asked her brother to set it to music as a Christmas entertainment for her children. Later, Engelbert and Adelheid decided to turn this modest home project into a full-scale opera. Hansel and Gretel, premiered on December 23, 1893 at Weimar, was an instant hit and remains an everlasting masterpiece. The composer Richard Strauss, who was the assistant conductor for the premiere, called it "a masterwork of the first rank."

Les Dissonances is a collective of artists founded by violinist David Grimal in 2004. The conductorless ensemble consists of musicians from the most prestigious European orchestras, international soloists, and young talents. In this performance, Les Dissonances play Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219, also known as the ‘Turkish Concerto’. Leading violinist Grimal features as the soloist. With the exception of the first violin concerto, Mozart composed his other four violin concertos in 1775 at a time when he was concertmaster at the Salzburg court. It is the third and final movement that gives Concerto No. 5 its nickname, the ‘Turkish Concerto’. This movement features a striking middle section of ‘Turkish music’, which the composer achieves not only by changing the meter, and the mode to minor, but also by letting the cellos and basses play col legno - creating a percussive sound with the wood of their bow. This performance was recorded at Cité de la Musique, France, in 2014.

Henk de Graaf (clarinet), Herre-Jan Stegenga (cello), Beverley Lunt (violin), Reinette Thiadens (violin), Richard Wolfe (viola), and Hans Krul (double bass) perform works for clarinet and string instruments: Bernhard Henrik Crusell’s Clarinet Quartet No. 4, Heinrich Joseph Baermann’s Adagio for Clarinet and String Quintet, and Louis Spohr’s Fantasy and Variations, Op. 81. This performance was recorded at Radboud Castle in Medemblik, the Netherlands.