DANTE Symphony TASSO Lamento e TrionfoKÜNSTLERFESTZUG
FRANZ LISZT
Kirill Karabits Staatskapelle Weimar
FRANZ LISZT
Künstlerfestzug zur Schillerfeier, S. 114 10:58
Tasso. Lamento e Trionfo, S. 96 21:25
A Symphony to Dante’s ‘Divina Commedia’, S. 109I. Inferno 21:03II. Purgatorio 18:02III.Magnificat* 7:31
Staatskapelle WeimarKirill KarabitsDamen des Opernchores des Deutschen Nationaltheaters Weimar*
Marianna Voza, choir director
Knabenchor der Jenaer Philharmonie*
Berit Walther, choir director
ItwasinWeimarthatLisztwasfinallyabletofindthetimeandthemeanstocompleteanumberofcompositionalprojectsthathehadbeendreamingaboutforyearsbutwhichhehadbeenpreventedfromworkingonbyhisEuropeanrecitaltoursandhistriumphsasavirtuoso.ThankstoGrandDuchessMariaPavlovna,hewasappointedKapellmeisterinExtraordinarybyGrandDukeCarlFriedrichin1842.Fouryearslaterhewrote,fullofhope,totheirson,theheirapparentCarlAlexander,tosaythatinhiseyesWeimarwas“afixedstarwhosebeneficentraysshinedownonthelongjourneyofmylife”.AtthatdateheregardedthesmalltowninThuringia,withitsgreatpast,as“thehomelandoftheIdeal”andasaplacewherehehopedtosettle.Asearlyas1782Goethehadalreadydescribedthetownas“likeBethleheminJudah,smallandgreat”.OnmovingtoWeimarin1848,Lisztsettoworkwithawill,remaininginthetownuntil1861andlaterdescribingtheseyearsasatimeof“Sammlungund
Arbeit”(composureandwork).Herehenotonlybegantocomposehisorchestralworksbutalsorevisedhisprincipalpianocyclesinordertogivethemtheirfinalform.ThesecompositionsincludetheHungarian Rhapsodies,theHarmonies poétiques et religieusesandthefirstAnnée de pèlerinage.Theselast-namedpiecescomprisepoemsforthepianoandreflectLiszt’saestheticideasonprogrammemusicandonthelinkbetweenmusicandpoetry,ideasthathadsprungfromthesoilofhisyearsinParisbetween1824and1844,when,livingattheheartofRomanticism,hehadbeenincontactwithBerlioz,Hugo,Lamartineandothers.InanimportantpieceonBerlioz’sHarold en Italie,Lisztwrotethatitwasnecessaryto“createnewformsfornewideas,newbottlesfornewwine”.Programmemusic,heargued,mustassumeanewformandnotbeexpressedsolelywithinthefamiliarframeworkofthesymphony.Itwasthisbeliefthatledhimtoinventthesymphonicpoem.FaustandDante,however,providedhimwiththematerialforworksoffargreaterdimensions.InWeimarLisztalsohadtowriteoccasionalpieces,notablyfortheinaugurationofthevariousmonumentswithwhichCarlAlexanderwantedtofurnishthe
towninmemoryofitsgloriouspast.ThestatuesofHerder,GoetheandSchiller,WielandandCarlAugustwereallunveiledtothestrainsofmusicbyLiszt.Butwhenwecometoexaminetheheartoftheseoccasionalworks,weshallfindthatthewholeofLiszt’ssymphonicoutputisheldtogetherbyasystemofself-quotationsandself-references.TheworksthatareincludedinthepresentreleaseillustratethethreedifferentaspectsofLisztasasymphonistinWeimar:anoccasionalpiece,asymphonic
poemofmodestdimensionsandavastprogrammesymphony.ThisisthefirsttimethattheseworkshavebeenrecordedbytheWeimarStaatskapelle,whichintheprocessispayingtributetoitsowndistinguishedpast,toitsprestigiousKapellmeister,totheprincewhokeptLisztcompanyduringhisyearsinthetownand,moregenerally,tothetownofWeimaritself.
Künstlerfestzug zur Schillerfeier (1859)The Künstlerfestzug zur Schillerfeier(Artists’GalaProcessionfortheSchillerCelebrations)isoneofseveralworksassociatedwithFriedrichSchillerthatincludeLa chapelle de Guillaume Tellforpiano,thecantataAn die Künstler,theFestlied zu Schillers Jubelfeier (10.November1859)andthesymphonicpoemDie Ideale. Liszt beganworkingonitin1857ontheoccasionofthecelebrationsaccompanyingtheunveilingofthedoublestatueofGoetheandSchillerbyErnstRietschel,but,
asitstitleindicates,itwasultimatelyplayedatthecelebrationsmarkingthecentenaryofSchiller’sbirthtwoyearslater,whenLisztuseditasthepreludetohisincidentalmusicforFriedrichHalm’smelodramaVor hundert Jahren,whichwasperformedforthefirsttimeon9November1859.Solemnandheroicincharacter,the KünstlerfestzugsharesanumberofmusicalelementswithLiszt’sotherSchillerianworks,notablyAn die KünstlerandDie Ideale.Noteinparticularthelyricalthememarked“dolceespressivo”thatisfirststatedbythehornaccompaniedbystringsandharpbeforebeingtakenupinturnbytherestoftheorchestra.Inotherwords,thisdulcettunemaybethoughtofasLiszt’s“Schillermelody”.
Tasso. Lamento e TrionfoLikeothersymphonicpoemsinthetraditionofBeethoven’sovertures,Tassowasinitiallyconceivedasanoverture.CarlAlexanderwrotetohisformertutorFrédéricSoreton1July1849toreportthathewas“preparingtomarkthecentenaryon28Augustinaworthymanner;[…]they’llbeperformingTasso,I’veaskedmyfriendLiszttowriteanovertureforit.Maythegeniusofthemanwhosememorywearecelebratingwatchoverourcountryforever.”ItisclearfromoneofhisWeimarnotebooks(N5)thatLiszthadstartedworkonthethematicmaterialin1847.TassowasperformedforthefirsttimeastheoverturetoGoethe’sdramaon28August1849,thecentenaryoftheplaywright’sbirth.OverthefollowingyearsLisztcontinuedtoreworkthescoreinordertogiveititsdefinitiveform.ItwaspublishedbyBreitkopf&Härtelin1856underthetitleTasso. Lamento e TrionfoasthesecondofLiszt’ssymphonicpoems.Intheprogrammethathepublishedwiththescore,LisztrecalledtheGoetheancontextofthework’sgenesis,whileadmittingthathewasinspiredmoreby
“Byron’srespectfulcompassion”asexpressedinthepoet’sdramaticmonologue,The Lament of Tasso,thanbytheGermandramatist’sstageplay.LikemanyofLiszt’sothersymphonicpoems,Tassocantracebackitsoriginstotheworksofliteraturethathereadinthe1830sandtothemusicalideasthatthoseworksinspiredinhim,anditwasthroughByron,notGoethe,thatLisztfirstbecamefamiliarwiththeItalianpoet.Tasso,whomhedescribedas“themostunfortu-nateofpoets”,wasanexampleofthecursedartistsodeartotheRomanticheart.AccordingtoLiszt,Tassowastheveryembodimentof“geniusill-treatedduringlife,andshiningafterdeathwithalightwhichshouldoverwhelmitspersecutors”.Tasso,thecomposerwenton,“lovedandsufferedatFerrara”butwas“revengedatRome”,wherehewasacknowledgedastheprinceofpoets.Alegendaryfigure,“hisglorystilllivesinthepopularsongsofVenice”.TheseaspectsofTasso’slifewerecentraltothesymphonicpoem’sstructure,whichdescribesthepoet’ssufferingsandposthumoustriumph.Lisztbeganbyconjuringup“thespiritoftheheroasitnowappearstous,hauntingthelagunesofVenice;next,wemustseehisproudandsadfigure,asitglidesamongthefêtesofFerrara–thebirthplaceofhismasterpieces;finally,wemustfollowhimtoRome,theEternalCity,which,inholdingforthtohimhiscrown,glorifiedhimasamartyrandpoet.[…]LamentoeTrionfo:thesearethetwogreatcontrastsinthedestinyofpoets,ofwhomithasbeentrulysaidthatiffatecursesthemduringlife,blessingneverfailsthemafterdeath.”AccordingtoLiszt,thepoet’sgriefisexpressedbythemelodythatheheardgondolierssinginginVenicetotheopeninglinesofTasso’sGerusalemme liberata:
“Cantol’armepietosee’lCapitano,/Che’lgransepolcroliberòdiCristo”(Th’illustriousChiefwhowarr’dforHeav’n,Ising,/AnddrovefromJesus’tombth’
insultingKing).LiszthadalreadyusedthismelodyinthefirstversionofhisVenezia e Napoli,whichhewroteduringhisvisittoVenicein1838.Thepoetisembo-diedinthismelancholytune,amelodywehearthroughoutthework.Itis“plaintive,slow,andmournfullymonotonous”and“breathessognawingamelancholy,soirremediableasadness,thatamerereproductionofitseemssufficienttorevealthesecretofTasso’ssademotions”inthefaceofthe“brilliantillusionsoftheworld”.Astheworkunfolds,sothismelodyistransformedaccordingtoaprocedureofwhichLisztwasextremelyfond,assumingdifferentguisesthatincludeprofoundaffliction,melancholy,meditation,amorousandwarlikeoutbursts,triumphandeventheeleganceoftheFerraracourtencapsulatedina“QuasiMenuetto”uniqueinthecomposer’soutputandintendedtoconjureupanimageofthefestivitiesofabygoneage.TheItalianpoet,whosememoryhadbeenhymnednotonlybyVenice’sgondoliersbutalsobyLordByron,inspiredLiszttowriteapieceintendedtocelebrate
Goethe.Asaresult,TassoisanexampleofintertextualitythatgoesbeyondthegreatGermanpoetandbeyondthecommemorationofhiscentenaryinWeimar:itisthefine-soundingverseofaheroofworldliterature,whichistheliteratureofthewholeofuniversalhumanity.
A Symphony toDante’s ‘Divina Commedia’LisztwasfascinatedbyDantethroughouthislifeandsoughtinspirationfromhimatanearlyage.On24June1849hepresentedCarlAlexanderwithhisowncopyofDante’sDivine Comedytomarkthegrandduke’sbirthday:“Theselastfewyears,he[Dante]hasbecomeformymindandspiritwhatthecolumnofcloudswasforthechildrenofIsraelwhenitguidedthemthroughthedesert.”InByron’scompleteworks,whichLisztreadinFrenchinthe1830s,The Lament of TassowasfollowedbyThe Prophecy of Dante.InbothtextsLisztunderlinedanumberofpassages.In1837,whenhewastravellinginItaly,henoteddowntheinitialsketchesforwhat–twentyyearslater–wastobecomeAprès une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi sonataforpianointhesecondvolumeofhisAnnées de pèlerinage.Ifhefeltthenecessary“strengthandlife”,henotedatthetime,hewouldevenwritealarge-scalesymphonicpieceonthesubject.In1845hethoughtofworkingwiththepoetJosephAutranonastagedversionoftheDivine Comedy.Orchestra,chorus,soloistsandnarratorwouldbebroughttogetherinakindoftotalartworkcombiningmusic,poetryandpainting,withlargecanvasesbeingprojectedbymeansofadiorama.LisztwantedtoentrusttheroleofDantetoanarrator,whileVirgilwouldbesungbyacontralto,allowingtheDivine Comedytobe“presentedtothepublicgazeinsuchawaythatfor3francs10souseveryonecanretracethejourneyofDanteandVirgilforhisorherownbenefit”.Inshort,Lisztwantedtocreateamusicalandvisualspectaclethatwouldhelptopopularizethisothermonumentofworldliterature.ItwasinWeimar,andthankstoWeimar,thatLisztwasfinallyabletocompletehisDanteproject.Hewrotethesymphonyinamatterofonlyafewmonths
in1855and1856andconductedthefirstperformanceofitinDresdenon7November1857.Intheeventitprovedafiascoasthemusicianswereinsufficientlypreparedforthescore’sformidabledifficultiesandnovelfeatures.ButLiszthadnotforgottenhisearlierprojectandhopedthatlargepaintingsbyBonaventuraGenellicouldbeprojectedonascreenduringtheperformance.
Wagnerrepeatedlypraisedthesymphony,whichLisztdedicatedtohiminamanuscriptnoteinthescore:“AsVirgilguidedDante,sohaveyouguidedmethroughthemysteriousregionsofthoseworldsofsoundthataresteepedinlife.–FrommyinnermostheartIcallouttoyou:‘Tuse’lomiomaestro,eilmioautore!’AndIdedicatethisworktoyouinsteadfastlyloyallove.”MuchlaterWagneropinedthatLiszt’smusicrevealedandexplainedthehidden,complexmeaning of the Divine Comedy:“HereisthesoulofDante’spoeminitspurestandmosttransfiguredform.”Andyet,hewenton,theworkwouldneverbeappreciatedforitstrueworth:ithad“remainedasgoodasunknowntoourageandtoitspublic”despiteitsbeing“oneofthemostamazingfeatsofmusic”.Itwasamatterforregret,Wagnerconcluded,that“Liszt’sconceptions”were“toopotentforapublicthatletsFaustbeconjuredupforitattheOperabythesicklyGounodandintheconcerthallbytheturgidSchumann”.Theopeningmovement,Inferno,depictsthesufferingsofHell.BeneaththeopeningnotesLisztquotesfourlinesfromCantoIIIofDante’sInferno,linesthat
aremerelyintendedtoguidetheinterpreterandthrowlightonthecomposer’sinspiration.Thesymphonybegins,therefore,withapictureofthegatesofHellsurmountedbyasombreexhortation:
Per me si va nella città dolente, Per me si va nell’eterno dolore, Per me si va tra la perduta gente […] Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch’intrate1.
Toillustratethismenacingmessage,hornsandtrumpetshammeroutandrepeatahieraticandmoralizingmotifaccentedaccordingtothesyllabicvaluesofthefinalline,“Lasciateognisperanza,voich’intrate”.Itreturnsincyclicalfashion,becomingtheleitmotifoffate,areminderoftheinexorabilityofthedestinythatisimposedonthosewhohavebeencondemnedtospendthewholeofeternitysufferinginHell.Growlingandroaring,theorchestraseemstosinklowerandlowerintothecirclesofHell.AttheheartofthissectionisanepisodedescribingPaoloandFrancescawhosymbolizeforbiddenloveanddamnation.Itoffersamomentofrepose.Inordertoevoketheadulterouslovers’anguishandtheirmemoriesofpasthappiness,LiszthasaddedFrancesca’swordstothescore:“Nessunmaggiordolore,chericordarsideltempofelicenellamiseria”(Thebitterestofwoes/Istorememberinourwretchedness/Oldhappytimes).Theyannounceacalmandmelancholicepisodemarked“Andanteamoroso,temporubato”,theimpassionedandcomplexrhythmsofwhichnonethelessremindusthatwearestillinHell.Suddenly,likesomeinfernalblast,aharpglissandocutsthroughthesilenceandthesatanicfrenzygraduallyresumesitscoursebeforebuildingtoafinalcrescendoforwhichLisztdemandsawindmachinetoimitateanunnaturalblastoffoulairandplungethespectatorintotheblackestofhorrors.Tocompletethisinfernaljourney,thebrassintonesthephraseassociatedwiththewords“Lasciateognisperanza”onelasttime.
1 “Through me the road to the city of desolation, / Through me the road to sorrows diuturnal, / Through me the road among the lost creation […] / Lay down all hope, you that go in by me.
Purgatoryistheplacewherelostsoulslingerbetweentwoworlds,theworldofdarknessandtheworldoflight.Liszt’smusicisneithersadnorcheerful:therockingmotionofthestrings,regularandobsessive,tendsrathertoconjureupanimageofthemiststhatholdthesesoulsincaptivityastheyawaitsalvation.AsolemnchoralethemebreaksthroughthesedullgreymistsbeforethemusicgiveswaytoagreatfugueonaplaintivesubjectthatWagnerparticularlyadmired.Towardstheendofthemovementaseriesofnon-functionalharmoniesdevelopslikealadder–coulditbeJacob’s?ThroughtheinterplayofkaleidoscopiccoloursLisztsucceedsinthiswayinprovidingatransitionallinktotheluminousvisionofParadisethatburstsuponuslikeanepiphanywiththeentryofachorusofangelssinginglinesfromtheMagnificat.IthasbeensaidthatLiszt,followingWagner’sadvice,didnotsetDante’sParadisetomusic,butthisisuntrue,forhedidindeedsetitinhisownwayinan
extremelysubtle“programme”thatrevealshisprofoundknowledgeoftheDivine ComedyandofCatholictheology.LisztwantedtoguidethelistenerjustasVirgilguidedDantefromHelltoParadisepassingthroughPurgatoryontheway.Althoughhissymphonyistraditionallypresentedasadiptych(1.Inferno–2.Purgatorio und Magnificat),itisinfactatriptych,thethirdmovementofwhich(theMagnificat)isdirectlylinkedtoitspredecessor.TheautographscoreinBerlinincludesevidenceessentialtoourunderstandingofthework:Liszthadinitiallytitledthedifferentparts“Inferno”and“PurgatorioundVision”.FollowingPurgatory,Dante,regeneratedandpurifiedbythewatersofLethe,cancontemplateParadisefromthetopofahill.(Asaheathen,Virgilisunabletojoinhimthere.)ThefinalcantooftheDivine ComedyisavisionoftheVirginMaryonherthroneofglorysurroundedbytheheavenlyhost.Musically,thisisexpressedbythefirsttwolines of the Magnificat,thewordsofwhicharenottakenfromDantebutareanexpressionoftheVirginMary.LisztsuggestsandsubtlyconstructshisvisionofParadise,addingthewords“Halleluja”and“Hosanna”totheversesfromtheMagnificat.BothofthesewordsaresungbyDante’sangelsinParadise.Thereisnodoubt,therefore,thatthe“vision”thatfollowsonfromPurgatoryisthatofParadiseasdescribedbyDanteinhisDivine Comedy.Evenso,wearenotpermittedtoenterthisheavenlyempyreanandtojourneythroughitaswedidinthecaseofHellandPurgatory.JustasVirgildidwith
Dante,soLisztleadsthespectatortothetopofthehillinPurgatoryfromwherewecancontemplateParadise.Thisisthereadingsuggestedbythemusic,whichconsistsofasubtlerustleofstrings,windsandtwoharps,atransparentmicrotextureformingaluminouscarpetofsoundthatsymbolizestheluminescentsoundoftheangels’wings.Thesoft-tonedvoicesofthewomenorchildrenwhomLisztwantedtobeplacedonaplatformbehindaveilinordertocreateamysteriouseffectthatwouldmakethesoundseemasifitwerecomingfrom“onhigh”areheardagainstthisaccompaniment,inwhichthereisnofundamentalbass.Inthefinalbarsofthegentleclose–anothermorepowerfulendingexists–anunprecedentedrangeofharmoniccoloursunfolds.Liszt,whowasproudofthisharmonictrouvaille,revealshimselfhereasaluminarist.Theheavenlyvoicesintonetheirdelicatefinal“Hosannas”and“Hallelujas”,whichriseeverhigherinpitch.Theysingofafeelingofecstasyandofavisionthatthecomposerhassucceededinexpressinginhismusic.Awindowopensontheinfinite:itisindeedavisionofParadiseaccordingtoDante’sDivine Comedy,arevelationandatheophany.
Nicolas Dufetel Translation: Stewart Spencer
STA ATSK APELLE WEIMAR
Foundedin1491,theStaatskapelleWeimarisoneoftheoldestorchestrasinGermanyandamongthemostillustriousintheworld.Itshistoryiscloselyassociatedwithsomeoftheworld’sbest-knownmusicians,includingJohannSebastianBach,JohannNepomukHummel,FranzLiszt,andRichardStrauss.EstablishedasthepremiermusicalinstitutionofclassicalWeimarandpartoftheHoftheaterWeimar,theorchestracontinuedtoattractattentionthroughtheachievementsofLisztandStraussduringthe19thcentury.Thesetwocelebratedfiguresnotonlyimproveditsqualityandreputation,butalsoledtheHofkapelleinworldpremieresofnumerouscontemporaryorchestralworksandoperas.ThesepositivedevelopmentswerebroughttoanabruptendwhentheNationalSocialistsseizedpower.AfterthecalamitouseventsofWorldWarII,conductorHermannAbendrothre-establishedtheStaatskapelleWeimar,restoringittoitsformergrandeurandquality.Sincethe1980s,conductorsPeterGülke,OlegCaetani,andHans-PeterFrankaswellasthecurrenthonoraryconductorGeorgeAlexanderAlbrecht,who
ledtheorchestrafrom1996to2002,haveleftalastingmark.KirillKarabitshadtakenthereinsofThuringia’sonlyA-levelorchestrafortheseasons2016/17through2018/19.TheensemblehasmadeguestappearancesinJapan,Israel,Spain,Italy,GreatBritain,Austria,Switzerland,andtheUSaswellasinthemajorconcerthalls
throughoutGermanyandatrenownedfestivals.Numerousrecordingsdocumenttheorchestra’sdiverserepertoire.
KIRILL K AR ABITS
Inhis11th yearasChiefConductoroftheBournemouthSymphonyOrchestra,Karabits’relationshipwiththeBSOhasbeencelebratedworldwideandtogethertheyhavemademanycriticallyacclaimedrecordingsandappearedregularlyattheBBCProms.KarabitshasworkedwithmanyoftheleadingensemblesofEurope,AsiaandNorthAmerica,includingtheCleveland,Philadelphia,SanFranciscoandChicago
SymphonyOrchestras,MünchnerPhilharmoniker,OrchestreNationaldeFrance,PhilharmoniaOrchestra,RotterdamPhilharmonicOrchestra,YomiuriNipponSymphonyOrchestra,OrchestraFilarmonicadelTeatroLaFeniceandtheBBCSymphonyOrchestra.KirillKarabitsenjoysaspecialrelationshipwiththeRus-sianNationalOrchestrawithwhomherepeatedlyappearedattheEdinburghFestivalandembarkedonanextensiveNorthAmericantour,includinghisNewYorkdebutattheLincolnCenter.RecenthighlightsalsoincludedebutswiththeToronto,Cincinnati,SeattleandMelbourneSymphonyOrchestrasaswellastheWienerSymphoniker,andareturntotheDeutscheOper.The2019/20seasonwillhighlightanumberofNorthAmericanvisits,includingKarabits’debutwiththeDallasSymphonyOrchestraandsubscriptiondebutwiththeChicagoSymphonyOrchestra,aswellasreturnstotheMinnesotaOrchestra,theBambergerSymphoniker,andtheSydneySymphonyandSeoulPhilharmonicOrchestras.KarabitswillalsoembarkonaEuropeanandSouthAmericantourwiththeRussianNationalOrchestraandreturntotheBarbicanwiththeBournemouthSymphonyOrchestra.Aprolificoperaconductor,KirillKarabitshasworkedwiththeDeutscheOperandOperStuttgart.HehasalsoconductedatGlyndebourneFestivalOpera,
StaatsoperHamburg,EnglishNationalOpera,BolshoiTheatreandattheWagnerGenevaFestival.AsGeneralMusicDirectorandPrincipalConductorattheDeutschesNationaltheaterWeimarintheseasons2016/17to2018/19,healsoconductedmanyoperaswiththeStaatskapelleWeimar.The2019/20seasonwillseeKarabitsconductaproductionwiththeOpéraOrchestreNationalMontpellieraswellastheBournemouthSymphonyOrchestra.WorkingwiththenextgenerationofbrightmusiciansisofgreatimportancetoKarabits.AsArtisticDirectorofI,CULTUREOrchestra–anorchestraof
talented,youngmusiciansfromPolandandotherEastEuropeancountries–heconductedthemontheirEuropeantourinAugust2015andasummerfestivalstourin2018.In2012and2014heconductedthetelevisedfinalsoftheBBCYoungMusicianoftheYearAwardandhasrecentlydebutedwiththeNationalYouthOrchestraofGreatBritainonaUKtour.InrecognitionofhisachievementsintheUK,KirillKarabitswasnamedConductoroftheYearatthe2013RoyalPhilharmonicSocietyMusicAwards.
KNABENCHOR DER JENAER PHILHARMONIE
TheBoys’ChoiroftheJenaPhilharmonicisoneofthejewelsofThuringia’sculturallandscape.Boys’choirscanlookbackonalongtradition,therootsofwhichmaybetracedtotheMiddleAges.TheBoys’ChoiroftheJenaPhilharmonicwasfoundedin1976,makingitarelativelyrecentinstitution.Itcombinestraditionwiththehereandnowandensuresthattriedandtestedtraditionsarepreservedandcanbecarriedforwardintothefuture.Theninetyorsomembersofthechoiraretakenfromallagegroupsandaredividedintofamilies.Allofthosechoristerswhomakethetransitionfromthe
preliminarychoirtothenext-generationchoirareacceptedintooneofsevensuchchoralfamilies.Inkeepingwiththechoir’sunderlyingconcept,theolderboystakechargeoftheyoungerones,resultinginfriendshipsthatmayextendbeyondtheworldofmusic.Concerttours,jointhikingexpeditionsandfootballtournamentsareparticularhighlightsfortheentirechoralcommunity.TheBoys’ChoiroftheJenaPhilharmonichasbeenrunbyBeritWalthersince2000.
DAMEN DES OPERNCHORES DES DEUTSCHEN NATIONALTHEATERS WEIMAR
TheOperaChorusoftheDeutschesNationaltheaterWeimarisapermanentpartofthecompany’smusictheatrearmandthevenerablehouse’ssecond-largestensembleaftertheStaatskapelleWeimar.Itiscurrentlymadeupofforty-fourmaleandfemalesingersfromninedifferentcountries.Theirvarieddutiesalsoincludeconcertsandproductionsofspokenplays.Someofitsmembersadditionallysingsmallandmedium-sizedsoloparts.TheladiesandgentlemenoftheOperaChorusperformawide-rangingrepertoryextendingfromClassicismandGermanandItalianRomanticismtoworks
bytwentieth-andtwenty-first-centurycomposers.From1968to1997theOperaChorusoftheDeutschesNationaltheaterWeimarwasrunbyEduardLehmstedt.Since1997hissuccessorsaschorusmaster
havebeenAndreasKorn,MarkusOppeneiger(from2005)andJensPetereit(from2018).
P 2020LudgerBöckenhoff©2020LudgerBöckenhoff
e-mail:[email protected]
recording: August17-20,2018(Dante)April14-15,2019(Tasso/Künstlerfestzug)recording location: CongressCentrumNeueWeimarhalle
EineCo-ProduktionmitDeutschlandradioP 2018/2019+©2020Deutschlandradio recording / executive producer: Dipl.-TonmeisterLudgerBöckenhoffproducer: StefanLang(DeutschlandfunkKultur)recording engineers:Dipl.-TonmeisterAkiMatusch(Tasso/Künstlerfestzug)Dipl.-TonmeisterJustusBeyer(Dante)engineers: Dipl.-TonmeisterClemensDeller(Dante) Dipl.-TonmeisterLukasKowalski(Dante)editing & mastering: Dipl.-TonmeisterJustusBeyer cover: EugèneDelacroix‘TassointheMadhouse’photos:StaatskapelleWeimar:FelixBroedeKirillKarabits:KonradĆwikmusic publisher: Künstlerfestzug:C.F.PETERSLeipzig,London,NewYorkart direction and design: AB•Design
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