World stars of classical music take to the stage of the extraordinary, sculpture-like Wolkenturm amphitheatre. Situated in the Wachau, one of Austria’s most beautiful regions, and located on the stunning grounds of Castle Grafenegg, the unique…

The Verbier Festival, one of the most prestigious music festivals in the world, annually presents top artists of classical music in picturesque Swiss scenery and has also committed itself to promote excellent young musical talents. In 2012 the…

The EUROPAKONZERT is the annual celebration of the founding day of the Berliner Philharmoniker on May 1st. The purpose of this unique series is to perform concerts at places which have a special cultural history and compel through their stunning…

The charismatic and inspiring Claudio Abbado and the mesmerising young pianist Yuja Wang, with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, hold the audience spellbound in this opening concert of the 2009 Lucerne Festival. Prokofiev's popular and vibrant Third…

Mozart is the most pervasively dramatic composer in history. The spirit of opera informs very nearly his every work. Themes are characters; characters interact; they change. András Schiff’s alertness to the dialogue in Mozart is reflected both in his…

Claudio Arrau was considered the complete pianist because he went beyond mere technique, and took listeners into the mind of the composer as if he were a medium through whom the composer was speaking. He was therefore known universally as ‘The…

Gidon Kremer is, and has always been, one of the most headstrong and original artists in the music business and he was once hailed by Herbert von Karajan as the world’s best violinist. He celebrated his 60th birthday in 2007 and he has always kept…

The finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is renowned for his interpretations of contemporary music and has given countless premières of new works. He has led critically acclaimed festivals of music by Berlioz, Ligeti, Schoenberg…

Long considered one of America’s great orchestras, The Cleveland Orchestra stands today among the world’s most-revered symphonic ensembles. Under their artistic director Franz Welser-Möst they have developed a sound that is perfectly suited to…

This selection of some of Bach’s most perennially popular keyboard music admirably demonstrates the many varied facets of the composer’s fertile imagination. Deep pathos is contrasted with witty humour, serenity is paired with fleetness of foot, and…