Distinct and different Distinct and different

The Vienna Philharmonic brought along no star soloist for their three-night residency at Carnegie Hall this past weekend. Their programs didn’t include any commissions or flashy new works. The repertoire choices hewed closely to the core Austro-German corpus for which they are justly famous, including multiple works they had given in their world premieres.

on March 06, 2023 at 10:28 AM
A change is gonna come A change is gonna come

In the opera world, one of the pieces that underwent a multitude of changes in its reception was undoubtedly Richard Wagner’s longest and most Germanic opera, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

on March 01, 2020 at 1:34 PM
Der Meisterdirigent Der Meisterdirigent

Christian Thielemann is widely regarded as our time’s preeminent master of the Austro-German symphonic ensemble.

on April 15, 2019 at 1:36 PM
Gli Weltstars sono tre Gli Weltstars sono tre

Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann will sing (with each other!) Puccini’s Turandot at the 2021 Salzburg Festival.

on April 24, 2018 at 11:29 AM
Tragedy tonight Tragedy tonight

In May of last year tenor Piotr Beczala and soprano Anna Netrebko sang in Lohengrin for the first time under the baton of Christian Thielemann in his home house at the Staatskapelle Dresden.

on July 18, 2017 at 10:00 AM
‘Ja, ja’ land ‘Ja, ja’ land

We leave behind the Vienna of the 1740s, the time of breeches, fans and white wigs.

on April 12, 2017 at 9:00 AM
“Something great in itself” “Something great in itself”

Now we have considered the three “winners” in the Tristan competition, let’s turn to the also-rans, or, to be more optimistic, the runners up.

on September 22, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Chained melody Chained melody

La Cieca’s spies in Dresden report that there were HD cameras aplenty in the Semperoper at Wednesday night’s performance of Lohengrin.

on May 27, 2016 at 12:33 PM
“Nun halt’ ich, was mich erhebt, der Mächtigen mächtigsten Herrn!” “Nun halt’ ich, was mich erhebt, der Mächtigen mächtigsten Herrn!”

In an unprecedented move, the Bayreuth Festival has named conductor Christian Thielemann official “Music Director.”

on June 29, 2015 at 11:56 AM
Coming out Coming out

Christian Thielemann’s spirited, precise conducting and the superb, sumptuous playing of the Staatskapelle Dresden are the finest features of this strongly cast performance of Strauss’s Arabella.

on March 02, 2015 at 10:00 AM
The showgirl must go on The showgirl must go on

Last night’s complete concert version of Die Csárdásfürstin from Dresden is viewable, after the jump.

on December 29, 2014 at 3:55 PM
Seligsten Paar Seligsten Paar

Maestro Christian Thielemann has made his choice for Lohengrin casting in Dresden and, later, Bayreuth: “Anna Netrebko als Elsa und Piotr Beczala in der Titelpartie.”

on October 12, 2014 at 2:43 PM
Fairy tale Fairy tale

“Conduct Salome and Elektra as if they were by Mendelssohn: Fairy music.” Seriously, how often has that happened?

on July 25, 2014 at 8:00 AM
Pardon the expression, but this is a steal Pardon the expression, but this is a steal

The complete recording of Der Ring des Nibelungen conducted by Christian Thielemann at the Bayreuth Festival is now on sale for only $5.99. And, no, I am not making this up.

on July 04, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Female on the beach Female on the beach

Christian Thielemann has proved himself to be the preeminent Strauss interpreter of the current generation of conductors and he’s in striking  form here.

on June 22, 2013 at 6:01 PM
Wer nicht mit dem Woolfe heult Wer nicht mit dem Woolfe heult

Zachary Woolfe (not pictured) makes his way to Bayreuth to try to unravel the Evgeny Nikitin mystery.

on July 26, 2012 at 5:50 PM
She wants to be a primadonna She wants to be a primadonna

On Saturday I attended the premiere performance of a new production of Ariadne auf Naxos at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden, Germany.  It was Renée Fleming’s debut in the title role…

on February 20, 2012 at 9:59 PM