News
10.05.2023
No debate!
"Once Pintscher made his KCS debut this past March, there was no debate." These words from the Kansas City Symphony's announcement alone are already an accolade, describing the outstanding impact of Matthias Pintscher's debut as conductor of the orchestra in the Midwest. As the conclusion of a two-year search, the KCS chose to appoint Pintscher as its new Music Director after a performance featuring works by Ravel, Scriabin, and Ligeti that was celebrated by both audiences and critics. »more«
16.03.2023
Competent and passionate
He has long stopped counting the many opera performances and concerts he has attended. Probably only a few music fans will have seen as many performances in as many opera houses and concert halls as Ulrich Etscheit, Head of Performance Promotion at Alkor-Edition. However, such music events were »more«
01.02.2023
Premieres of Works by Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini
More than half of the “Mahler/Scartazzini Cycle” has already been performed in Jena: Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini’s “Einklang” as well as the premiere of “Omen” and No. 6 can be heard in Jena on 23 March 2023; on 12 May 2023 part 7 of the cycle will have its first performance. The project which was initiated by Simon Gaudenz and the Jenaer Philharmonie began in 2018 and will be completed in 2025. Gustav Mahler and his works are, in Scartazzini’s words, “a counterpart that speaks to me even over a distance of more than 100 years … their world of thought, their construction, a certain movement; all these are impulses that in the end lead me to my own musical work.” »more« (photo: LA Consulting)
01.02.2023
Saverio Mercadante’s “Francesca da Rimini” at Frankfurt Opera
Following the highly acclaimed recent performance at the Tirol Festival in Erl (photo), Saverio Mercadante’s enthralling setting of “Francesca da Rimini”, the unhappy love story of Paolo and Francesca, is to be performed for the first time ever in Germany. The premiere is on 26 February at the Frankfurt Opera, named “Opera House of the Year” in Germany for the sixth time by “Opernwelt“ magazine. The performances use Hans Walter Richter’s production of Felice Romani’s two-act “dramma per musica” after Dante’s “Divina Commedia”, but with a vocal cast with different singers in the leading roles. The title role will be sung by leading soprano Jessica Pratt, with Spanish conductor Ramón Tebar directing the Opera and Museum Orchestra. – Oper Frankfurt
06.09.2022
„Rusalka“ – finally revised. The new Urtext Edition of Dvorák’s Opera
The new edition of Antonín Dvoráks masterwork presents not a “new” Rusalka – conductors, performers, and audiences will find the same Czech masterpiece that has been enjoyed for over 100 years but the oprea in its definitive form, with all practical and musicological issues considered, well-documented, and clearly presented. »more«
06.09.2022
Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” from Bärenreiter
Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” is probably the most frequently-performed Russian opera. But its success was not assured from the outset. Now this stagework is being published by Bärenreiter in an edition reflecting the latest state of research, taking into consideration the somewhat complicated history of its composition. The new edition finally clears up the many mistakes and inconsistencies in the previous editions of the score. It follows the 1885 St Petersburg version which can be regarded as the final authorised version since Tchaikovsky prepared it for the second edition of the score published by Jürgenson in 1891. »more«
02.06.2022
Donizetti’s “Caterina Cornaro” at the Klangvokal Musikfestival Dortmund
It is hard to believe, but Gaetano Donizetti’s lyrical tragedy, premiered in 1844 in Naples, has never before been performed in a German opera house. The story deals with the Queen of Cyprus, who came from a noble Venetian family, and the work is full of entrancingly beautiful, almost soulful music. »more«
