2009

The Waldbühne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres on the European continent, is the home of the Berliner Philharmoniker’s summer concerts. With over 20.000 attendances, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. This year Sir Simon Rattle, the Berliner Philharmoniker and the renowned Yefim Bronfman present an superb selection of Russian music.

Repertoire: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71: Overture , The Christmas Tree, March;
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30; Stravinsky: Le sacre du printemps; encores: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker: Pas de deux / Paul Linke: Berliner Luft
Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker
Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle
Performers: Yefim Bronfman, piano
Director: Henning Kasten
Producers: EuroArts Music International, in co-production with RBB and SMG

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Gabriela Montero loves improvisation. The Venezualian artist masters this uncommon art like no other classical pianist of today. This remarkable talent has become the highlight of her concerts. This recital recording captures Monteros’ ephemeral gimmicks that fascinate her audience. Born in Caracas Gabriela gave her first public performance at the age of five. Aged eight she made her concerto debut with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra conducted by Jose Antonio Abreu and was granted a scholarship from the Venezuelan government to study in the USA. From her first contact with a piano on, Gabriela has always improvised and she decided to play in public at the behest of Martha Argerich who told her not to be afraid whether people would find it improper or not.

Repertoire: Ginastera: Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 22; Brahms: Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 118; improvisations after suggestions from the audience
Performer: Gabriela Montero
Directors: Steffen Herrmann & Maria Stodtmeier
Producers: EuroArts Music International, in co-production with ARTE/ZDF

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For more than 25 years René Jacobs has dedicated his life to baroque operas and works with the best ensembles for early music. On the occasion of the Haydn Year the renowned Freiburger Barockorchester and outstanding baroque opera singers such as Marlis Petersen, Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Pietro Spagnoli and Tom Randle present Haydn’s most successful opera at the Berliner Staatsoper.

Orchestra: Freiburger Barockorchester
Conductor: René Jacobs
Performers: Marlis Petersen · Pietro Spagnoli · Tom Randle · Sunhae Im · Magnus Staveland · Victor Torres · Alexandrina Pendatchanska · Arttu Kataja
Stage directors: Nigel Lowery & Amir Hosseinpour
Set & costume designer: Nigel Lowery
TV Director: Andreas Morell

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Repertoire: Giuseppe Verdi: La Forza del Destino, Overture; Giuseppe Martucci: “La canzone dei ricordi”; Franz Schubert: The “Great” Symphony No. 9 in C Major
Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker
Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Performers: Violeta Urmana, mezzo-soprano
Director: Michael Beyer
Producers: EuroArts Music International, coproduced by RBB, NHK and CCTV

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The 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel’s death took place on 14 April 2009. On this momentous occasion, two of the world’s leading baroque orchestras and conductor Howard Arman honoured 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 represents the media highlight of the Handel Year 2009.

Repertoire: The repertoire of the historic Handel Commemoration of May 26, 1784 in London’s Westminster Abbey.
Orchestra: The English Concert, Händelfestspielorchester Halle
Conductor: Howard Arman
Performers: MDR Rundfunkchor, Hallenser Madrigalisten, Händelfestspielchor, Chor der Oper Halle
Director: Elisabeth Malzer
Producers: EuroArts Music International, coproduced by MDR Fernsehen, in cooperation with Händelfestspiele Halle

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In 2009 music lovers all over the world celebrate the 200th birthday of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, one of the most important artists the of 19th century. On February 3rd, 2009 (exactly 200 years after his birth) the city of Leipzig will celebrate its famous citizen with a festive Gala Concert from the Gewandhaus zu Leipzig. The Gewandhausorchester will play under the baton of its Musical Director Riccardo Chailly and perform Mendelssohn’s “Trumpet-Overture”, the “Scottish Symphony” and - as a highlight - the Piano Concerto No. 1 with star pianist Lang Lang.

Repertoire: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Overture in C Major Op. 101 (“Trumpet-Overture”);
Symphony No. 3 in A minor Op. 56 “Scottish” (“London Version”); Andante from Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 107 “Reformation”;
Wedding March from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, Op. 61;
Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor Op. 25;
Frédéric Chopin: Etude Op. 10 No. 3 in E Major “Tristesse”

Conductor: Riccardo Chailly
Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Performers: Lang Lang, piano
Director: Michael Beyer
Producers: EuroArts Music International, in co-production with MDR and NHK in cooperation with ARTE

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