Schedule

This production of Giuseppe Verdi's popular opera La Traviata was performed outdoors at the St. Margarethen Festival in 2008 by the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Ernst Märzendorfer. Soloists Kristiane Kaiser, Magdalena Anna Hofmann, and Stefanie Kopinits perform in a striking physical setting against the backdrop of the Austrian mountains. Several men are courting the rich courtesan Violetta, but when she meets Alfredo, she chooses to live a new life with him. She then moves from Paris to the French countryside, but unfortunately is haunted by her past: Alfredo's father does not approve of his past and convinces her to abandon his son. Alfredo is ignorant of his father's torment and, thinking that Violetta has used him, he becomes furious. In the end, he understands that Violetta has abandoned him to be free, but it is too late. Reaching an incurable illness, Violetta dies in his arms.

A Night in Vienna recreates the magical atmosphere of 19th century Viennese ballrooms. In the breathtaking surroundings of Vienna's Hofburg Palace, the Wiener Akademie period orchestra, conducted by Alfred Eschwe, plays some of the Strauss family's and Joseph Lanner's favorite pieces, including "The Beautiful Blue Danube", "Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka", and the "Radetzky March". Former residence of the Habsburg dynasty, the Hofburg contained the apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth. A Night in Vienna features soloist Lesley Garrett, the most popular soprano from the UK. The spirit of the Strauss era is perfectly recreated by the addition of waltz dancers adorned with historical costumes. This concert was presented in 2004, under the direction of David Amphlett.

Argentinian conductor and harpsichordist Leonardo García Alarcón leads his ensemble Cappella Mediterranea in a program of Italian Baroque music. The ensemble performs some of the finest Baroque pieces composed by Francesco Cavalli, a prominent composer in 17th-century Venice, and two of his famous students, Barbara Strozzi and Antonia Bembo. Argentinian soprano Mariana Flores presents the vocal works. On the program are ‘Mira questi due lumi’ from Cavalli’s Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo, ‘Dimmi, Amor, che farò’ from L'Oristeo, ‘Sinfonia della notte’ from L’Egisto, and ‘E vuol dunque Ciprigna’ from Ercole Amante; ‘M’ingannasti in verità’ from Bembo’s Produzioni armoniche consacrate a Luigi XIV; Strozzi’s Sino alla morte, Che si può fare, Lagrime mie, L’amante segreto, and è Pazzo il moi core; Biagio Marini’s La Romanesca; Tarquinio Merula’s Aria Sopra La Cieccona; and Dario Castello’s Sonata Seconda. This performance was recorded at the magnificent Église Notre-Dame of Sablé-sur-Sarthe, France, on August 26, 2020.

Mexican conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto leads the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería in a performance of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite. Originally commissioned as a ballet for the legendary dancer Martha Graham, Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring (1944) has since become an American classic. While first scored for a thirteen-piece ensemble, Copland later arranged the work for a full orchestra. This performance was recorded at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, in 2021.

Pianist Carter Johnson (Canada, 1996) joins the CMIM ensemble, consisting of three principal strings players of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, in a performance of the first movement, Sostenuto assai – Allegro ma non troppo, of Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 47. This performance took place during the chamber music round of the two-part semi-final of the Piano Edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2024 (CMIM). It was recorded at the Bourgie Hall of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

With sublimely beautiful music that supports, intensifies, and enhances the drama every step of the way, the Piano Concerto No. 24, K 491 is solid drama from start to finish, with a minor harmonic structure reminiscent of Don Giovanni. In this performance, recorded at Schönbrunn palace in Vienna, Andre Previn is the soloist and conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The 250th anniversary of George Frederic Handel’s death takes place on April 14th, 2009. On this momentous occasion, two of the world’s leading baroque orchestras and conductor Howard Arman honour the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic Handel Commemoration Concert which took place in London’s Westminster Abbey 25 years after Handel’s death. This outstanding British-German performance in Handel’s baptistery, the Market Church in Halle, represents the media highlight of the Handel Year 2009.

French lutenist Thomas Dunford performs various works for lute by J. S. Bach in this intimate chamber music concert, recorded at Concertgebouw Brugge, Belgium, in 2017. On the program are Suite for lute in G minor, BWV 995; Suite for solo cello in G major (arr. for lute), BWV 1007; and Chaconne from Partita for solo violin in D minor (arr. lute), BWV 1004. Paris-born lutenist Thomas Dunford (*1988) discovered the lute at the age of nine. He studied at the Conservatory of Paris and the Schola Cantorum in Basel, and participated in masterclasses with lutenists such as Rolf Lislevand and Julian Bream. He has made various solo and ensemble appearances at Europe’s most prestigious festivals.

Pianist Saeyoon Chon (South Korea, 1995) performs Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10 No. 2; Choral et variations from Henri Dutilleux’s Piano Sonata; and Franz Liszt’s Rhapsodie espagnole, S. 254, during the first round of the Piano Edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2024 (CMIM). This performance was recorded at the Bourgie Hall of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Italian cellist Silvia Chiesa and Italian pianist Maurizio Baglini perform a wonderful recital of works by Ferruccio Busoni, Franz Liszt, Frédéric Chopin, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. On the program are Busoni’s Kultaselle – 10 variations on a Finnish folksong; Liszt’s Two Elegies for cello and piano; Chopin’s Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C major, Op. 3; and Rachmaninoff’s Sonata in G minor for cello and piano, Op. 19. As an encore, the duo plays Leonard Bernstein’s iconic composition ‘Tonight’ from the musical West Side Story. This performance was recorded at Sala Verdi of the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan, Italy, on November 4, 2024.

Ukrainian conductor Kirill Karabits leads the London Symphony Orchestra in a stunning performance of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. The soloist is soprano Lucy Crowe. Mahler’s Fourth Symphony opens with the sound of sleighbells and melodies of childlike innocence. But between this deceptively playful opening and the serene finale – a child’s vision of Heaven – lies a world of profound emotion and beauty. With soprano Lucy Crowe lending her vocal radiance to this extraordinary finale, the symphony’s journey to bliss is complete. This performance was recorded at the Barbican Hall in London, UK, on December 8, 2021.

Since 1972 the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker have been a prominent institution in international musical life. Listeners around the world are invariably fascinated by the wide range of the unique and intoxicating timbres that these twelve cellos can produce, whether they are playing classical music, jazz, tango or avant-garde. Their mixture of seriousness and humour, of depth and lightness, appeals to audiences of all ages. Recorded in the Philharmonie Berlin on occasion of the 40th anniversary of the ensemble; soloists: Annette Dasch (soprano), Till Brönner (trumpet).

René Pape perfectly embodies the new generation of opera singers: with a current and relaxed appearance, he craves new challenges and demonstrates an openness to ambitious experimentation. In the musical film My Heart Is Burning, René Pape sings and plays various roles that showcase the impressive versatility of his voice and the many facets of his personality. Directed by Sibylle Muth.

Italian pianist Andrea Molteni (1998) performs Frédéric Chopin’s Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49. Molteni began studying the piano at the age of six. He graduated with honors and honorable mention at the Conservatorio di musica Giuseppe Verdi di Como, and was awarded a master’s degree Magna cum Laude in Advanced Performance Studies by the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano. He has performed at the Wiener Saal of the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Scriabin Museum in Moscow, National Opera Center in New York, and several other international venues. This performance was recorded at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Ohio, USA, in 2022.

The Berliner Philharmoniker and musical director Sir Simon Rattle’s 2010 tour concluded in Singapore – their first and only performance in Asia. Described by many as the finest orchestra in the world, the Berliner Philharmoniker presents Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1: a unique and breathtaking experience in the spectacular Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in Singapore. Mahler’s first symphony, originally nicknamed Titan, lures the audience into a great symphonic world of sounds. The orchestra is visualized as the sounding body, musical structures intertwine and music becomes tangible. Also Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances are part of the concert program.

Swiss conductor Philippe Jordan and the Orchestre de l’Opéra national de Paris recorded all of Ludwig van Beethoven’s symphonies in 2014-2015. In this program, Jordan conducts Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, ‘Eroica’. Composed in 1803 and 1804, this symphony is regarded as a major turning point in Beethoven’s oeuvre as well as Western music history. Symphony No. 3 is longer in duration than any previous symphony. The customary long introduction is replaced by two powerful chords, followed by the introduction of the main theme by the lower strings. The slow second movement is a Funeral March, followed by a quick Scherzo. The fourth and final movement is dominated by a theme from Beethoven’s ballet music for ‘The Creatures of Prometheus’. This performance was recorded at Opéra Bastille in Paris, France, in 2014.

The Royal Ballet Flanders performs a beautiful program with ballets by choreographers Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Jeroen Verbruggen. The Symphonic Orchestra of the Opera Vlaanderen is conducted by Yannis Pouspourikas. Ravel remains a source of inspiration for many choreographers. Cherkaoui and rising talent Verbruggen take their vision of Ravel's music to the stage with the Ballet Flanders. Verbruggen draws his inspiration from Ravel's ”Pavane pour une infante défunte” and from ”Ma mère l'Oye.” Cherkaoui also translates Ravel into dance, opting for the colorful ”Pictures at an Exhibition” composed by Mussorgsky, which was orchestrated by Ravel to become the most widely performed orchestration of this work. Among the star dancers are Nancy Osbaldeston, Alexander Burton, and Drew Jacoby. Recorded in the Opera Antwerp in 2016 and directed by Andreas Morell.