00:00
02:40
Meyerbeer - Les Huguenots
The dramatic events surrounding the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, in which approximately 3000 Protestants were murdered by Catholics, forms the setting for this historical ‘grand opera’ by Giacomo Meyerbeer. Protestant Raoul is in love with Catholic Valentine: an impossible love. Religion is not the only matter that keeps the two lovers apart, as Valentine has been promised to the Catholic Comte de Nevers, his enemy... This work enjoyed an incredible popularity after it premiered, but suffered oblivion shortly after. This production of the Deutsche Oper Berlin (1991) marks a triumphant comeback for this timeless work, presented in a contemporary setting. Soloists: Angela Denning (Margarethe von Valois), Lucy Peacock (Valentine), Richard Leech (Raoul von Nangis), Hartmut Welker (Graf von Saint-Bris), Camille Capasso (Urban), Martin Blasius (Marcel). Conductor: Stefan Soltesz. Directed by John Dew. (160 min)
02:40
04:12
Waldbühne 2002 - Night of the Encores
In front of a cheering audience, Mariss Jansons conducts the Berliner Philharmoniker and violinist Vadim Repin as part of an evening devoted to the most popular recalls at the Walbühne in Berlin. One of the most impressive outdoor scenes in Europe, the Walbühne hosts the Berliner Philharmoniker each summer, performing in front of an audience of some 20,000 people. The 2002 edition of this annual concert celebrates the reminders frequently performed by major orchestras and ensembles. The Berliner Philharmoniker performs for the occasion with Russian-born Belgian violinist Vadim Repin, the youngest laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels, played under the direction of many renowned conductors, including Simon Rattle, Valery Gergiev and Mariss Jansons. The evening's program moves from de Wagner to Tchaikovsky, from Sibelius to John Williams, and ends with the ultimate reminder: Paul Lincke's Berliner Luft! (92 min)
04:12
04:25
Music of Naples
Throughout the centuries, the Italian city of Naples has proved to have a remarkably favorable climate for artistic innovation. The presence of the royal or vice royal courts, the practice of music in churches, fraternities, and charitable institutions, financial support from well-to-do citizens, and the popularity of song and dance in public life made for an extraordinarily diverse musical landscape. (12 min)
04:25
04:58
Saint-Saëns - Carnival of the Animals
Marin Alsop conducts the Britten-Pears Orchestra in a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. Recorded at Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Snape Bridge in the UK, 2018.Saint-Saëns composed the work in a small Austrian town in 1886, following a disastrous concert tour. It is originally scored for two pianos, two violins, violas, cellos, double bass, flutes, piccolos, clarinets, glass harmonica, and xylophone. From the beginning, Saint-Saëns regarded the piece as an amusing work. It has become one of his best-known works and is played in various adaptions for different ensembles. (33 min)
04:58
05:24
IVC 2021 - Semi-finals: Wolf, Debussy a. o.
Soprano Sophia Burgos (USA, 1991) and pianist Daniel Gerzenberg (Germany, 1991) perform Bart Visman’s Vermeer’s Gold; ‘Nixe Binsefuss’ from Hugo Wolf’s Mörike-Lieder, and ‘Die Bekehrte’ from Goethe-Lieder; ‘C’est l’extase langoureuse’ from Claude Debussy’s Ariettes oubliées; ‘Crépuscule’ from Gabriel Fauré’s La chanson d'Éve; ‘Asturiana’ from Manuel de Falla’s Siete canciones populares espaňolas; and ‘The night in silence under many a star’ from George Crumb’s Apparition, during the semi-finals of the International Vocal Competition 2021 – Lied Duo. This performance was recorded at Het Noordbrabants Museum in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. (25 min)
05:24
05:55
Saint-Saëns - Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22
Pianist Mikhail Pletnev is accompanied by the Russian National Orchestra led by Kirill Karabits in a performance of Camille Saint-Saëns's Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22. At its premiere in 1868, the orchestra was led by Anton Rubinstein, with the composer himself at the piano. The current concert was recorded at the Moscow Philharmonic Society and opens with a performance of Sergei Prokofiev's symphonic picture 'Dreams'. The concert was part of the Ninth Russian National Orchestra Grand Festival from 2017. (30 min)
05:55
06:00
T. Merula - Aria Sopra La Cieccona
Argentinian conductor and harpsichordist Leonardo García Alarcón leads his ensemble Cappella Mediterranea in a program of Italian Baroque music. The ensemble performs some of the finest Baroque pieces composed by Francesco Cavalli, a prominent composer in 17th-century Venice, and two of his famous students, Barbara Strozzi and Antonia Bembo. Argentinian soprano Mariana Flores presents the vocal works. On the program are ‘Mira questi due lumi’ from Cavalli’s Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo, ‘Dimmi, Amor, che faró’ from L'Oristeo, ‘Sinfonia della notte’ from L’Egisto, and ‘E vuol dunque Ciprigna’ from Ercole Amante; ‘M’ingannasti in veritá’ from Bembo’s Produzioni armoniche consacrate a Luigi XIV; Strozzi’s Sino alla morte, Che si puó fare, Lagrime mie, L’amante segreto, and é Pazzo il moi core; Biagio Marini’s La Romanesca; Tarquinio Merula’s Aria Sopra La Cieccona; and Dario Castello’s Sonata Seconda. This performance was recorded at the magnificent Église Notre-Dame of Sablé-sur-Sarthe, France, on August 26, 2020. (4 min)
06:00
06:21
Mozart - Eine kleine Nachtmusik
From the castle of Rammenau, the Gewandhaus-Quartett plays Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525 (Serenade 13 for Strings in G major) by Mozart. This serenade was completed in Vienna on August 10, 1787, while Mozart was working on the second act of the opera Don Giovanni, and was not published until about 1827, long after the composer's death. The traditionally used name of the work - A Little Night Music - comes from notes in Mozart's personal catalog. Founded in 1808, the Gewandhaus-Quartett is the oldest quartet in the world, continuously performing for more than 200 years. It is composed of members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and has had more than 200 musicians to date. The Gewandhaus-Quartett is currently composed of Frank Michael Erben (first violin), Conrad Suske (second violin), Volker Metz (viola), Jürnjakob Timm (cello), and Steffen Adelmann (double bass). (21 min)
06:21
06:35
Mussorgsky - Night on Bald Mountain
Young Euro Classic is the world’s most important platform for international young orchestra musicians in the European classical music tradition, and for its development. For 17 days every summer, orchestras from all over the world perform at Berlin’s Konzerthaus, on Gendarmenmarkt. This performance features some highlights of the Young Euro Classic edition of 2016. On the program are well-known classical pieces, like the third movement of Vivaldi’s “Summer” from Four Seasons, Mussorgky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” and “Habanera” from Bizet’s Carmen. Tenor Alan Pingarrón sings “Gratia plena,” by Mario Talavera, and “Dime Que Si,” by Alfonso Oteo. On the program are also famous orchestral works like the Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and the third movement of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 3. (13 min)
06:35
07:30
Celebrate Saint-Patrick 2019
Armagh is one of the oldest cities of Ireland and also the place St-Patrick choose to build his first stone church. Nowhere in the world is the connection with Saint-Patrick more meaningful than in this city and the neighbouring counties in which he lived. This program brings the viewers to places most associated with Saint-Patrick and brings highlights of the annual concert, held in the cathedral that bears his name. Join composer and presenter John Anderson as he conducts a celebratory and reflective event honoring Saint-Patrick. A range of choirs unite in a unique evening of music and spoken words in the beautiful cathedral setting. Recorded March 9th, 2019. (54 min)
07:30
07:59
IVC 2021 - Final: Diepenbrock, Fauré a. o.
Tenor Zhuohan Sun (China, 1993) and pianist Sara Pavlovic (Serbia, 1996) perform ‘Wanderlied’ from Robert Schumann’s Kerner-Lieder, Op. 35; ‘Der Abend kommt gezogen’ from Alphons Diepenbrock’s Drie ballades, Op. 1; Gabriel Fauré’s Prison, Op. 83, No. 1; ‘Ganymed’ from Hugo Wolf’s Goethe-Lieder; Franz Schubert’s Nacht und Träume, D. 827; Zaiyi Lu’s The bridge in my homeland; ‘Mit Myrten und Rosen’ from Schumann’s Liederkreis, Op. 24; ‘C’ from Francis Poulenc’s Deux poémes de Louis Aragon, FP 122; and ‘Scheiden und Meiden’ from Gustav Mahler’s Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit, during the final round of the International Vocal Competition 2021 – Lied Duo. This performance was recorded at De Verkadefabriek in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. (28 min)
07:59
08:54
Memory of a Concert
In 2006, Gidon Kremer and Martha Argerich set out on tour performing solos and duets by Bartók und Schumann. The last of the concert series at the Berliner Philharmonie has been recorded for this film, featuring a rare solo performance by Martha Argerich. A concert film with personal and moving commentary by Gidon Kremer. Program: Schumann's Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 10, Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 121; Kinderszenen, Op. 15; Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 1 Sz 75; Violin sonata No. 2 Sz 76. (55 min)
08:54
10:01
Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 23, KV 488
Regarded as one of the finest interpreters of Romantic repertoire, Francesco Attesti (*1975) gave his first recital at age 11 and by the time he was 23, had earned the highest honours in piano from Florence’s Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini. In this recording of his 2016 Deeply Mozart concert tour, Attesti performs Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piano concertos KV 449 and KV 488 with the Italian OIDA Orchestra and conductor Paolo Belloli. (66 min)
10:01
11:27
Mahler - Symphony No. 2
"It would be hard to find anything greater, more significant or more moving anywhere in musical life today: total harmony of mind and heart, poetry and outcry, fear and consolation, knowing and feeling," declared the Berne paper Der Bund after this stunning performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony in August 2003 by the newly founded Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Claudio Abbado had formed this ensemble from famous instrumentalists, celebrated chamber-musicians and experienced soloists from the world's best orchestras, and the event was sold out months in advance. In this performance, the magnificent soloists Eteri Gvazava (soprano) and Anna Larsson (mezzo-soprano) are accompanied by Orfeón Donostiarra choir. (85 min)
11:27
11:54
Discovering Masterpieces – Mahler – Symphony No. 5
Watch the series ‘Discovering Masterpieces’! Your audio-visual concert guide to the great masterpieces of classical music. The series brings you 20 half-hour documentaries on 20 classical masterpieces: acclaimed experts, famous soloists and outstanding conductors take you on a journey back to the time and place of composition. In this documentary, Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. The musical canvas and emotional scope of this work are huge. Herbert von Karajan said once that when you hear Mahler's Fifth, “you forget that time has passed. A great performance of the Fifth is a transforming experience.” The English lecturer and musician Jeremy Barham introduces the work at the piano and reflects on the secrets of the composition. (27 min)
11:54
12:45
Josquin’s motets
In 15th-century polyphony suffering is, after love, possibly the most important theme. As in the Flemish Primitives’ paintings, the tears flow copiously in the oeuvre of composers such as Josquin Desprez. With this selection of Josquin’s finest dark timbres (Miserere mei, De profundis, Absalon fili mi), Cappella Amsterdam guarantees us a breathtaking programme with a palette of muted colours. The concert ends with Musae jovis, Gombert’s lamentation on the death of Josquin. (51 min)
12:45
13:32
Brahms - Violin Concerto
Israeli violinist Itzhak Perlman and the Berlin Philharmonic perform Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto (1833-1897) under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. After Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Brahms' piece is probably the most famous German Violin Concerto ever written. These two works have much in common, especially the tone in D major in which they were composed. Highly technical, Brahms' Violin Concerto is reserved for virtuosos because of the marked presence of arpeggios, rapid passages of scales and rhythmic variations. Perlman and the Berlin Philharmonic are brilliantly meeting the challenge of this technically and intellectually demanding work. (46 min)
13:32
13:58
CMIM Voice 2022 – Semi-final: Bryan Murray
Baritone Bryan Murray (USA, 1989) performs ‘Dieux qui me poursuivez’ from Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride; ‘Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen’ from Gustav Mahler’s song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn; and ‘Vision fugitive’ from Jules Massenet’s opera Hérodiade, during the semi-finals of the Aria division of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2022 (CMIM). He is accompanied by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jacques Lacombe. This performance was recorded at the Montreal Symphony House. (26 min)
13:58
14:00
Bembo - 'M'ingannasti in verita'
Argentinian conductor and harpsichordist Leonardo García Alarcón leads his ensemble Cappella Mediterranea in a program of Italian Baroque music. The ensemble performs some of the finest Baroque pieces composed by Francesco Cavalli, a prominent composer in 17th-century Venice, and two of his famous students, Barbara Strozzi and Antonia Bembo. Argentinian soprano Mariana Flores presents the vocal works. On the program are ‘Mira questi due lumi’ from Cavalli’s Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo, ‘Dimmi, Amor, che faró’ from L'Oristeo, ‘Sinfonia della notte’ from L’Egisto, and ‘E vuol dunque Ciprigna’ from Ercole Amante; ‘M’ingannasti in veritá’ from Bembo’s Produzioni armoniche consacrate a Luigi XIV; Strozzi’s Sino alla morte, Che si puó fare, Lagrime mie, L’amante segreto, and é Pazzo il moi core; Biagio Marini’s La Romanesca; Tarquinio Merula’s Aria Sopra La Cieccona; and Dario Castello’s Sonata Seconda. This performance was recorded at the magnificent Église Notre-Dame of Sablé-sur-Sarthe, France, on August 26, 2020. (1 min)
14:00
15:31
Mahler - Symphony No. 6
On November 14, 1987, a promising conductor made his Berlin Philharmonic debut with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6: Simon Rattle. In retrospect Rattle says, “I felt that I was finding my voice on that day.” Mahler’s multifaceted work is now again on the program when Sir Simon appears for the last time as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker in the Philharmonie in 2018. The wheel comes full circle. Mahler's Symphony No. 6 is often referred to by the nickname Tragische ("Tragic"). Mahler composed work during a happy time in his life, as he had married his wife Alma in 1902 and became father of his second daughter. This contrasts with the tragic and even nihilistic last movement of the symphony. (91 min)
15:31
19:56
Glass - Einstein on the Beach
Einstein on the Beach is an opera by minimalist composer Philipp Glass, director Robert Wilson, and choreographer Lucinda Childs. The work premiered in 1976 at the Avignon Festival in France. It is the composer’s first and longest opera, lasting approximately 4.5 hours. The work’s title appears to refer to Nevil Shute’s novel ‘On the Beach’ (1957), taking place in a world that is destroyed after an atomic war. Breaking the rules of conventional opera, Einstein on the Beach has neither a narrative nor named characters. The work’s libretto consists of solfége syllables, numbers, and sections of poetry. It includes texts by Christopher Knowles, Samuel M. Johnson and Childs. The opera is in four acts, connected by so-called “Knee Plays” – interludes between acts. It contains several references to Einstein’s theories on time, space, and relativity, for instance the appearance of trains, which Einstein used as a metaphor in his theory of relativity. The music is performed by The Philipp Glass Ensemble conducted by Michael Riesman, and features Antoine Silverman as the solo violinist. Among the performers are Helga Davis, Kate Moran, Jasper Newell, and Charles Williams. The opera features dancers of The Lucinda Childs Dance Company. This performance was recorded at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, in 2014. (265 min)
19:56
20:27
Works by Matteis, Tartini, Bach & Vivaldi
The six-concert series “Io suono italiano” is dedicated to music of Italian composers and performed by Italian musicians on Italian instruments. The concert programs cover four centuries of music: from Girolamo Frescobaldi and Antonio Vivaldi to more contemporary music by Ennio Morricone and Azio Corghi. Each program presents more familiar pieces alongside lesser-known compositions. These performances were filmed at the atmospheric Teatro Sociale in Rovigo, Italy, in January 2021. In this program, Federico Guglielmo (violin) and Roberto Loreggian (harpsichord) present Baroque music. On the program are Nicola Matteis’s Passaggio rotto e Andamento veloce per violino solo (from Ayres for the Violini), Giuseppe Tartini’s Sonata in G minor Op. 1 No. 10 (B.g10) “Didone abbandonata”, J. S. Bach’s Concerto in F major for solo harpsichord, BWV 978 (a transcription of Antonio Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in G major, Op. 3 No. 3, RV 310), and Vivaldi’s Sonata IV in D major, RV 755. (30 min)
20:27
21:00
Schumann - Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
After recording all 32 Ludwig van Beethoven piano sonatas to celebrate the composer's 250th birth anniversary, celebrated Italian pianist Riccardo Schwartz decided to record solo piano works by Robert Schumann. In this performance, Schwartz presents Schumann’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22. The composer completed the work in 1838. Of Schumann’s three piano sonatas, Piano Sonata No. 2 is performed and recorded most frequently. It opens with an energetic first movement, followed by a beautiful, slow Andantino based on Schumann’s song ‘Im Herbste’ (1828). The third movement is a short Scherzo. At the request of his future spouse, Clara, the composer replaced the original finale by a less demanding movement. Acclaimed pianist Riccardo Schwartz (1986) has performed as a soloist with many world-renowned conductors, including Gustav Kuhn and Yuri Temirkanov. His acclaimed performances include recitals and concertos for piano and orchestra in many prestigious concert halls. (32 min)
21:00
23:16
Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor
Italian conductor Speranza Scappucci leads the Philharmonia Zürich and the Chorus of the Opernhaus Zürich in a performance of Gaetano Donizetti’s tragic opera ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ (1835). Salvatore Cammarano based his libretto on Sir Walter Scott’s novel ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ (1819). Set in 17th century Scotland, the opera tells the story of Lucia, who falls in love with Edgardo, her family’s arch enemy. Lucia’s brother Enrico, however, forces her to marry a man she does not love instead, driving the young woman insane. Highpoint of the opera is Lucia’s famous ‘mad scene’, in which the technically demanding aria ‘Il dolce suono’ is heard. In this scene, Lucia’s voice is accompanied by a glass harmonica, adding to its eeriness. Italian conductor Speranza Scappucci leads the Philharmonia Zürich and the Chorus of the Opernhaus Zürich. Among the soloists are Irina Lungu (Lucia), Massimo Cavalletti (Enrico Ashton), Piotr Beczała (Edgardo di Ravenswood), Andrew Owens (Lord Arturo Bucklaw), Oleg Tsibulko (Raimondo Bidebent), Roswitha Christina Müller (Alisa), and Iain Milne (Normanno). This performance was recorded at the Opernhaus Zürich, Switzerland, in 2021. (136 min)
23:16
00:00
Saint-Saëns - Intro and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
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 22.000 in attendance, they are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. This year the outstanding orchestra under the baton of Neeme Järvi take us on a trip to Arabian “Thousand and One Nights”, with soloist Janine Jansen, a rising star who quickly gained the reputation of one of the foremost young violinists on the international concert stages. On the program are Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Symphonic Suite, op. 35, Grieg's 'Peer Gynt' Suite No.1, op. 46, excerpts from Nielsen's Aladdin Suite for Orchestra op. 34, Saint-Saëns's Introduction und Rondo capriccioso and "Meditation” from 'Thais' by Massenet. (43 min)
00:00
02:01
Puccini - La Bohéme
Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Paris Opera Orchestra and Choir in a performance of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohéme. Recorded at the Opéra National de Paris in 2017 and directed by Claus Guth. Among the soloists are Nicole Car, Aida Garifullina Atalla Ayan and Artur Ruciński. La Bohéme premiered in 1896 at the Teatro Regio in Italy. The opera's libretto focuses on the relationship between Rodolfo and Mimi. When young poet Rodolfo meets seamstress Mimi, it's love at first sight. But faced by the cruel realities of poverty and ill health, will the flame that burns between them flicker and die? Or will the timeless strength of their youthful passion withstand every trial and tribulation that life can throw at them? (121 min)
02:01
03:46
The spirits of Mozart
A crossover experience inspired by the music of Mozart: the surprising and original Spirits of Mozart. In this crossover concert, outstanding personalities from the fields of pop, jazz and classical music interpret Mozart`s compositions in their personal musical languages for a broad public of the 21st century. These performances show that the impact of Mozart`s music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music. Performers like Dee Dee Bridgewater, the young violinist Benjamin Schmid with jazz band and orchestra, Jethro Tull’s singer-flautist Ian Anderson and many others present Mozart arrangements in a rousing, electrifying mélange of classical, jazz and pop culture. (104 min)
03:46
04:44
Pierre Boulez - A life for music
The French musician and composer Pierre Boulez (1925-2016) is considered one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century music. In the documentary 'Pierre Boulez – A life of music' (2017), Reiner E. Moritz creates a personal portrait of the young and impatient artist who once impetuously suggested to blow up the opera houses in order to do away with stuffy traditions, yet later moved on to conduct the "Ring of the Century" in the very heart of traditional opera, Bayreuth, and became a prized guest conductor with the world’s greatest orchestras. The documentary includes fragments from the composer's rich oeuvre, and features rare photographs from the Boulez-Chevalier archive. The documentary is at its most personal when the maestro's family and friends reflect on his life. Boulez's younger brother Roger shares invaluable information about Pierre's early years, and the renowned pianist Daniel Barenboim opens up about his friend’s music and compositions. (58 min)
04:44
05:18
Stravinsky - Le sacre du printemps
Maestro Bernard Haitink leads the Berliner Philharmoniker in a performance of Igor Stravinsky's Le sacre du printemps (‘The Rite of Spring’). Stravinksy composed the ballet’s score in 1913 for Sergei Diaghilev's itinerant ballet company Ballets Russes. The work’s sensational premiére at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris caused a riot in the audience in response to the avant-garde nature of the music and choreography. The score, written for one of Stravinsky’s largest orchestras, features harsh dissonances and complex rhythms. Despite its scandalous premiere, the work gained great critical acclaim. Le sacre du printemps is now considered one of the great masterpieces in classical music history, which influenced many 20th-century composers. This performance was recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK, as part of Europakonzert 1993. (34 min)
