28 concert with クラウディオ・アバド
The Berlin Phil Series: “An evening in Vienna”
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
This episode of the Berlin Phil Series is a musical portrait of the city of Vienna. The concert features newly recorded chamber music works by Mozart and Beethoven as well as archive recordings of orchestral songs by Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf. The chamber musicians include the two principal clarinets of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wenzel Fuchs and Andreas Ottensamer who as Austrians, will guarantee an authentic Viennese colour. Fuchs can be heard in Mozart’s famous clarinet quintet, and Ottensamer in Beethoven’s lively “Gassenhauer Trio”.
09 May 2020Berliner Philharmoniker
Welcome
Andreas Ottensamer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Clarinet Quintet in A major, K.581Wenzel Fuchs clarinet, Daishin Kashimoto violin, Romano Tommasini violin, Naoko Shimizu viola, Ludwig Quandt cello
Franz Schubert
Gretchen am Spinnrade D. 118Claudio Abbado conductor, Christianne Stotijn mezzo-soprano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Duo for Violin and Viola, K. 423: AdagioCornelia Gartemann violin, Julia Gartemann viola
Franz Schubert
Erlkönig D. 328Daniel Harding conductor, Gerald Finley bass-baritone
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wiener Sonatine No. 1 K. 439b: Allegro brillanteHande Küden violin, Kotowa Machida violin
Hugo Wolf
Der FeuerreiterIván Fischer conductor, Christian Gerhaher baritone
Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano trio in B-flat major, op. 11 “Gassenhauer Trio”Andreas Ottensamer clarinet, Knut Weber cello, Julien Quentin piano
Easter@Philharmonie Festival: Episode 4
The finale of the Easter@Philharmonie Festival is dedicated entirely to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, whose works were to be the focus of the Easter Festival in Baden-Baden which was cancelled due to the corona crisis. In addition to newly recorded chamber music works, the programme includes excerpts from Berliner Philharmoniker concerts conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim plus the chief conductors Claudio Abbado and Sir Simon Rattle. The online festival closes with a performance of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony with their successor Kirill Petrenko.
13 Apr 2020Berliner Philharmoniker
- free
Easter@Philharmonie Festival: Episode 4 “Finale with Beethoven”
Claudio Abbado conductor, Daniel Barenboim conductor, Nikolaus Harnoncourt conductor, Zubin Mehta conductor, Kirill Petrenko conductor, Sir Simon Rattle conductor, Wenzel Fuchs clarinet, Christoph Hartmann oboe, Thomas Leyendecker trombone, Albrecht Mayer oboe, Olaf Ott trombone, Stefan Schweigert bassoon, Dominik Wollenweber cor anglais, Sarah Willis presenter
Easter@Philharmonie Festival: Episode 1
The Philharmonie Berlin is closed, and our Easter Festival in Baden-Baden cannot take place either. So we have come up with something for you: the digital Easter@Philharmonie Festival! The first episode is about the history of the Easter Festival, with current and historic recordings. Plus, there is chamber music, performed especially for this occasion in an empty Philharmonie. The finale is a recording of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony with Kirill Petrenko.
04 Apr 2020Berliner Philharmoniker
- free
Easter@Philharmonie Festival: Episode 1
Sir Simon Rattle conductor, Herbert von Karajan conductor, Claudio Abbado conductor, Kirill Petrenko conductor, Gundula Janowitz soprano, Marie-Pierre Langlamet harp, Martin Löhr cello, Albrecht Mayer oboe, Sarah Willis presenter
Claudio Abbado’s final concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker
In his final concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker in May 2013, Claudio Abbado once again presented a fascinating programme which included two portrayals of dreams that could hardly be more different: Felix Mendelssohn’s perfectly balanced music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hector Berlioz’s wildly unbridled Symphonie fantastique, a contrast which reveals not least the diversity and richness of musical Romanticism.
19 May 2013Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoFelix Mendelssohn
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, op. 61: ExcerptsDeborah York Soprano, Stella Doufexis Mezzo-Soprano, Women of the Bavarian Radio Chorus, Konstantia Gourzi Chorus Master
Hector Berlioz
Symphonie fantastique, op. 14- free
Interview
Konstantia Gourzi on working with Claudio Abbado - free
Interview
Berlioz’ "Symphonie fantastique": A little organology with Philipp Bohnen
Claudio Abbado conducts works by Schumann and Berg
In this concert from 2012, Claudio Abbado conducts music full of sensitivity, including Robert Schumann’s Second Symphony, a highly sensitive piece, full of fragile nervousness. He is joined by two top-class soloists in works by Alban Berg: mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter in the Altenberg-Lieder, and in the Violin Concerto, Isabelle Faust, who impressed the audience with her “soaring, almost halucinatory tone” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung).
11 May 2012Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoAnne Sofie von Otter, Isabelle Faust
Robert Schumann
Genoveva, op. 81: OvertureAlban Berg
Altenberg LiederAnne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano
Alban Berg
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra “To the Memory of an Angel”Isabelle Faust Violin
Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 2 in C Major, op. 61- free
Interview
Isabelle Faust on Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto
Concert with Claudio Abbado to mark the 100th anniversary of Gustav Mahler’s death
With this concert from 18 May 2011, the Berliner Philharmoniker commemorated the 100th anniversary of Gustav Mahler’s death. Claudio Abbado, with whom the orchestra gave many moving Mahler performances, conducted two works to mark the event which seem like elegiac meditations on the finiteness of all life: Das Lied von der Erde with Anne Sofie von Otter and Jonas Kaufmann as the soloists – and the Adagio from the Tenth Symphony.
18 May 2011Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoAnne Sofie von Otter, Jonas Kaufmann
Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 10 (performing version by Deryck Cooke): AdagioGustav Mahler
Das Lied von der ErdeAnne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Jonas Kaufmann Tenor
Claudio Abbado, Maurizio Pollini and Anna Prohaska
Claudio Abbado and Maurizio Pollini: one of the great artistic friendships of classical music. In this concert from 2011, they perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17. A further Mozart soloist is the soprano Anna Prohaska, who is also heard in Alban Berg’s Symphonic Pieces from Lulu. The concert closes with the Adagio from Mahler’s Tenth Symphony: a manifestation of the hopelessness and a farewell to life.
15 May 2011Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoAnna Prohaska, Maurizio Pollini
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio” – “Ah conte, partite”, aria for soprano and orchestra, K. 418Anna Prohaska Soprano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Die Zauberflöte: “Ach, ich fühl’s, es ist verschwunden”Anna Prohaska Soprano
- free
Alban Berg
Lulu SuiteAnna Prohaska Soprano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 17 in G major, K. 453Maurizio Pollini Piano
Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 10 (performing version by Deryck Cooke): Adagio- free
Interview
Claudio Abbado, Maurizio Pollini and Anna Prohaska on old and new musical friendships
Claudio Abbado conducts Schubert, Brahms and Schoenberg
In this concert from 2010, Claudio Abbado introduces the audience to some exquisite rarities. These include lieder by Franz Schubert in rarely heard orchestral arrangements, and Johannes Brahms’s cantata Rinaldo which gives us an idea of what an opera by this composer might have sounded like. The vocal soloists are young stars of the classical music scene: Christianne Stotijn and Jonas Kaufmann.
16 May 2010Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoChristianne Stotijn, Jonas Kaufmann
Franz Schubert
Gretchen am Spinnrade, D 118 · Nacht und Träume, D 827 · Erlkönig, D 328Christianne Stotijn Mezzo-Soprano
Arnold Schoenberg
Gurre-Lieder: Part 1 No. 11 Orchestral Prelude · No. 12 Lied der Waldtaube (Song of the Wood Dove)Christianne Stotijn Mezzo-Soprano
Johannes Brahms
Rinaldo, cantata, op. 50Jonas Kaufmann Tenor, Men of the Rundfunkchor Berlin, Simon Halsey Chorus Master, Men of the Bavarian Radio Chorus
- free
Interview
Works by Schubert, Schoenberg and Brahms: An introduction by Simon Halsey
Claudio Abbado conducts Schubert, Debussy and Mahler
In this concert from 2009, Claudio Abbado conducted works by composers with whom he was closely associated, including Schubert’s Rosamunde music, which captivates with its songlike simplicity and dreamy atmosphere. Much more expansive but equally delicate is Debussy’s La Mer, while Gustav Mahler strikes a folksy, down-to-earth note in his Wunderhorn songs. The vocal soloist is Angelika Kirchschlager.
24 May 2009Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoAngelika Kirchschlager, Rundfunkchor Berlin
Franz Schubert
Rosamunde, incidental music, D 797Angelika Kirchschlager Mezzo-Soprano, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Simon Halsey Chorus Master
Gustav Mahler
Des Knaben Wunderhorn: Lob des hohen Verstandes · Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen · RheinlegendchenAngelika Kirchschlager Mezzo-Soprano
Claude Debussy
La Mer, trois esquisses symphoniques for orchestra- free
Interview
Simon Halsey on Schubert, Mahler, Debussy and Claudio Abbado
2002 European Concert from Palermo with Claudio Abbado and Gil Shaham
Rapturous applause tinged with a little sadness characterise this European Concert from the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, which was the first stop on Claudio Abbado’s final tour at the head of the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2002. The concert features committed performances of great works of the Romantic period: the profound emotion of Brahms’s Violin Concerto with Gil Shaham as the soloist, and Dvořák’s Symphony From the New World with its ingenious combination of American and Bohemian elements.
01 May 2002
European Concert from PalermoBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoGil Shaham
Ludwig van Beethoven
Egmont, op. 84: OvertureJohannes Brahms
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, op. 77Gil Shaham Violin
Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, op. 95 “From the New World”Giuseppe Verdi
Les Vêpres siciliennes: Overture
Claudio Abbado conducts Beethoven and Mendelssohn
In this concert, Claudio Abbado conducts works that impress with their powerful choral singing, while fascinating due to their unusual form: Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with Maurizio Pollini as the pianist, followed by Mendelssohn’s Second Symphony, known as the Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise). This recording from 2002 is also unusual in that although both pieces are widely known, they are not often performed in concert.
09 Feb 2002Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoMaurizio Pollini, Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir
Ludwig van Beethoven
Fantasy in C minor for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, op. 80 “Choral Fantasy”Maurizio Pollini Piano, Karita Mattila Soprano, Lioba Braun Soprano, Annika Hudak Contralto, Peter Seiffert Tenor, Mats Carlsson Tenor, Lage Wedin Bass, Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Bo Wannefors Chorus Master
Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, op. 52 “Hymn of Praise”Karita Mattila Soprano, Lioba Braun Soprano, Peter Seiffert Tenor, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Bo Wannefors Chorus Master
Claudio Abbado’s Beethoven cycle from Rome
Only at the end of his tenure as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker did Claudio Abbado decide to give a performance of the complete symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven. The venue was the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. In these performances, the monumentality of earlier times was replaced by a leaner, driving energy. The Financial Times spoke of a “revolution”.
08 Feb 2001
From the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, RomBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoLudwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 in C major, op. 21Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 2 in D major, op. 36Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, op. 55 “Eroica”Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, op. 60Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 in F major, op.68 “Pastoral”Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 in F major, op. 93- free
Interview
Beethoven’s symphonies: an introduction by Claudio Abbado
Claudio Abbado conducts a Verdi gala for the 2000 New Year’s Eve Concert
The music of Verdi is very close to Claudio Abaddo’s heart – after all, he led La Scala in Milan from 1968 to 1986, the worldwide centre of Verdi interpretation. In this New Year’s Eve Concert from 2000, audiences were able to discover this side of the conductor, with excerpts from Rigoletto, La Traviata and Falstaff. Abbado was joined by leading Verdi singers, including Andrea Rost, Ramón Vargas and Alan Titus.
31 Dec 2000
New Year’s Eve ConcertBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoAndrea Rost, Ramón Vargas, Alan Titus
Giuseppe Verdi
Un ballo in maschera: “Volta la terrea fronte” · “Signori: oggi d’Ulrica” · “Ve’ se di notte” · “Saper vorreste”Andrea Rost Soprano, Carmela Remigio Soprano, Ramón Vargas Tenor, Massimo Giordano Tenor, Alan Titus Baritone, Lucio Gallo Baritone, Anatoli Kotcherga Bass, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Stanislav Bogunia Chorus Master
Giuseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: “Que de fleurs et que d’étoiles”Carmela Remigio Soprano, Stella Doufexis Mezzo-Soprano, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Stanislav Bogunia Chorus Master
- free
Giuseppe Verdi
Rigoletto: “Questa o quella” · “La donna è mobile”Ramón Vargas Tenor
Giuseppe Verdi
La Traviata: “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” (Brindisi) · “Sempre libera”Andrea Rost Soprano, Stella Doufexis Mezzo-Soprano, Ramón Vargas Tenor, Massimo Giordano Tenor, Alan Titus Baritone, Lucio Gallo Baritone, Anatoli Kotcherga Bass, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Stanislav Bogunia Chorus Master
Giuseppe Verdi
Falstaff: “Alice” – “Meg” – “Nannetta”Carmela Remigio Soprano, Elizabeth Futral Soprano, Larissa Diadkova Mezzo-Soprano, Stella Doufexis Mezzo-Soprano, Massimo Giordano Tenor, Enrico Facini Tenor, Anthony Mee Tenor, Lucio Gallo Baritone, Anatoli Kotcherga Bass
Giuseppe Verdi
Falstaff: “Quand’ero paggio”Carmela Remigio Soprano, Elizabeth Futral Soprano, Stella Doufexis Mezzo-Soprano, Larissa Diadkova Mezzo-Soprano, Anthony Mee Tenor, Massimo Giordano Tenor, Enrico Facini Tenor, Lucio Gallo Baritone, Alan Titus Baritone, Anatoli Kotcherga Bass, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Stanislav Bogunia Chorus Master
Giuseppe Verdi
Falstaff: “Alto là!” – “Chi va là?”Carmela Remigio Soprano, Elizabeth Futral Soprano, Stella Doufexis Mezzo-Soprano, Larissa Diadkova Mezzo-Soprano, Anthony Mee Tenor, Massimo Giordano Tenor, Enrico Facini Tenor, Lucio Gallo Baritone, Alan Titus Baritone, Anatoli Kotcherga Bass, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Stanislav Bogunia Chorus Master
Johann Strauss
Un ballo in maschera, Quadrille on themes from Verdi’s opera
Claudio Abbado conducts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the 2000 European Concert from Berlin
Many performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony are intended to give musical expression to a festive event. One such occasion was the 2000 European Concert from Berlin, conducted by Claudio Abbado – the tenth event of its kind. A stark contrast to Beethoven’s final symphony is provided by his Piano Concert in B-flat major – Beethoven’s first major orchestral work – with Mikhail Pletnev as the soloist.
01 May 2000
European Concert from BerlinBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoMikhail Pletnev
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat major, op. 19Mikhail Pletnev Piano
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, op. 125 “Choral”Swedish Radio Choir, Karita Mattila Soprano, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Tõnu Kaljuste Chorus Master, Thomas Moser Tenor, Violeta Urmana Contralto, Eike Wilm Schulte Baritone
Claudio Abbado conducts famous final movements at the 1999 New Year’s Eve Concert
Even serious music lovers know it: the anticipation of the finale of a symphonic work which brings an audience to its feet. On New Year’s Eve 1999, the Berliner Philharmoniker audience was granted the rare opportunity of enjoying an entire evening of just those spectacular closing movements – from Beethoven, Dvořák, Mahler and many more. Plus, a selection of cheerful encores from the repertoire of Berlin operetta from the 1920s.
31 Dec 1999
New Year’s Eve ConcertBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoKlaus-Maria Brandauer, Klaus Wallendorf
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92: 4. Allegro con brioAntonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 8 in G major, op. 88: 4. Allegro ma non troppoGustav Mahler
Symphony No. 5: 5. Rondo. FinaleIgor Stravinsky
L’Oiseau de feu (The Firebird), suite (1919): Infernal Dance of King Kaschei · Berceuse · FinaleMaurice Ravel
Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2: Danse généraleRundfunkchor Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor
Sergei Prokofiev
Alexander Newski: Alexander’s entry into PskovRundfunkchor Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor
Arnold Schoenberg
Gurre-Lieder: Part 3 no. 9 “Seht die Sonne”Rundfunkchor Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor, Klaus-Maria Brandauer Speaker
Paul Lincke
Grigri: Overture · Folies Bergères: March · Brandbrief-GaloppKlaus Wallendorf Presentation
Siegfried Translateur
Wiener Praterleben (“Sportpalastwalzer”)Ernst Fischer
In vino veritas: Perlender ChampagnerOtto Nicolai
Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor (The Merry Wives of Windsor): OvertureWalter Kollo
Drunter und Drüber: “Solang noch Untern Linden”Rundfunkchor Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor
Paul Lincke
Berliner LuftRundfunkchor Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor
Claudio Abbado conducts Mozart’s Requiem at Memorial Concert for Herbert von Karajan
In a newspaper interview, Claudio Abbado once said Herbert von Karajan had been “like a father” to him. So for Abbado it was not only a duty but also a matter of personal significance to conduct this memorial concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker at Salzburg Cathedral. The programme featured Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem.
16 Jul 1999
Herbert von Karajan Memorial Concert from Salzburg CathedralBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoKarita Mattila, Sara Mingardo, Michael Schade, Bryn Terfel
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Grabmusik, K. 42: “Betracht dies Herz und frage mich” · Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339: “Laudate Dominum omnes gentes”Rachel Harnisch Soprano, Swedish Radio Choir, Maria Wieslander Chorus Master
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Requiem in D minor, K. 626 (with reconstructions by Franz Beyer (1971/79) and Robert D. Levin (1993))Karita Mattila Soprano, Sara Mingardo Mezzo-Soprano, Michael Schade Tenor, Bryn Terfel Baritone, Swedish Radio Choir, Maria Wieslander Chorus Master
Claudio Abbado conducts “Songs of Love and Desire” at the 1998 New Year’s Eve Concert
Songs of Love and Desire was how the Berliner Philharmoniker subtitled their 1998 New Year’s Eve Concert. The various ways these powerful human emotions manifest themselves was to be heard in famous arias and scenes by Mozart, Verdi and Tchaikovsky. The evening’s soloists were Christine Schäfer, Simon Keenlyside and Marcelo Àlvarez plus special guest Mirella Freni.
31 Dec 1998
New Year’s Eve ConcertBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoChristine Schäfer, Simon Keenlyside, Marcelo Álvarez, Mirella Freni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492: Overture · “Giunse alfin il momento” – “Deh vieni non tardar”Christine Schäfer Soprano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Don Giovanni: “Deh! Vieni alla finestra”Simon Keenlyside Baritone
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Die Zauberflöte: “Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen”Simon Keenlyside Baritone, Christine Schäfer Soprano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Don Giovanni: “Fin ch’han dal vino” · “Là ci darem la mano”Simon Keenlyside Baritone, Christine Schäfer Soprano
Georges Bizet
L’Arlésienne, Suites No. 1 and No. 2: Carillon · FarandoleGioacchino Rossini
La gazza ladra: OvertureGiuseppe Verdi
Rigoletto: “E il sol dell’anima” · “Addio... speranza ed anima” · “Caro nome” · “La donna è mobile”Marcelo Álvarez Tenor, Christine Schäfer Soprano
Giuseppe Verdi
Un ballo in maschera: “Eri tu che macchiavi quell’anima”Simon Keenlyside Baritone
Hector Berlioz
Le Carnaval romain, Ouverture caractéristique, op. 9Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise · “Puskai pogilabnu ya, no pryezhde” (Letter scene)Mirella Freni Soprano
Giuseppe Verdi
La Traviata: “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” (Brindisi)Mirella Freni Soprano, Christine Schäfer Soprano, Simon Keenlyside Baritone, Marcelo Álvarez Tenor
Claudio Abbado conducts works with a maritime theme at the 1998 European concert from Stockholm
For the European Concert of 1998, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Claudio Abbado were joined by a silent, but no less impressive soloist: The 1627-built three-masted ship Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage. In the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, specially built for this ship, the musicians performed maritime-themed works by Wagner, Tchaikovsky and Debussy that portray water, wind and sky.
01 May 1998
European Concert from StockholmBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoEric Ericson Chamber Choir, Swedish Radio Choir
Richard Wagner
Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman): OverturePyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Tempest, Symphonic Fantasy after ShakespeareClaude Debussy
NocturnesEric Ericson Chamber Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Maria Wieslander Chorus Master
Giuseppe Verdi
Quattro pezzi sacriEric Ericson Chamber Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Maria Wieslander Chorus Master
Claudio Abbado conducts music from “Carmen” at the 1997 New Year’s Eve Concert
Carmen is not only a character in an opera, she is also a myth: the epitome of beauty, seduction and the freedom from all social fetters. In their New Year’s Eve Gala from 1997, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Claudio Abbado take on this myth. They are supported by outstanding vocal and instrumental soloist including Anne Sofie von Otter, Roberto Alagna, Bryn Terfel, Mikhail Plentnev and Gil Shaham.
31 Dec 1997
New Year’s Eve ConcertBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoAnne Sofie von Otter, Roberto Alagna, Bryn Terfel, Mikhail Pletnev, Gil Shaham
Georges Bizet
Carmen: Prélude · Havanaise · Couplets · Chanson · Air de la fleur · Chœur et scèneAnne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Véronique Gens Soprano, Stella Doufexis Mezzo-Soprano, Roberto Alagna Tenor, Bryn Terfel Baritone, Südtiroler Kinderchor, Gretel Brugger Chorus Master, Orfeón Donostiarra, José Antonio Sainz Alfaro Chorus Master
Sergei Rachmaninov
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for piano and orchestra, op. 43Mikhail Pletnev Piano
Pablo de Sarasate
Carmen Fantasy, op. 25Gil Shaham Violin
Maurice Ravel
Rapsodie espagnoleManuel de Falla
El amor brujo (Love, the Magician), ballet music: Danza del fuego (Ritual Fire Dance)Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor
Claudio Abbado conducts Brahms’s Requiem in Vienna
This concert with Brahms’s Deutsches Requiem – recorded in Vienna’s Musikverein on the 100th anniversary of the composer’s death – is among the most memorable performances by the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Claudio Abbado. It is characterised not only by its perfection and tonal beauty, but also by its feeling of humanity and empathy. The vocal soloists are Barbara Bonney and Bryn Terfel.
03 Apr 1997
From the Musikverein, ViennaBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoBarbara Bonney, Bryn Terfel
Johannes Brahms
A German Requiem, op. 45Barbara Bonney Soprano, Bryn Terfel Baritone, Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Maria Wieslander Chorus Master
Claudio Abbado conducts Brahms and Ravel at the 1996 New Year’s Eve Concert
The Berliner Philharmoniker and Claudio Abbado bid farewell to 1996 in the Philharmonie with a programme full of verve and flavour. The theme of this “fun occasion” (Gramophone) was the world of gypsies and of dance as portrayed for example in Brahms’s Hungarian Dances. Star guest of the evening was violinist Maxim Vengerov, who gave a both emotional and outrageously virtuoso performance of Ravel’s Tzigane.
31 Dec 1996
New Year’s Eve ConcertBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoSwedish Radio Choir, Maxim Vengerov
Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dances: No. 1 in G minor · No. 10 in F majorJohannes Brahms
Excerpts from Zigeunerlieder, op. 103: 1. »He, Zigeuner greife in die Seiten« · 2. »Hochgetürmte Rimaflut« · 3. »Wißt Ihr, wann mein Kindchen« · 4. »Lieber Gott, du weißt« · 9. »Weit und breit schaut niemand mich an«Swedish Radio Choir, Tõnu Kaljuste Chorus Master
Maurice Ravel
Tzigane, rhapsody for violin and orchestraMaxim Vengerov Violin
Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dance No. 7 in A majorMaxim Vengerov Violin
Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dances: No. 17 in F sharp minor · No. 21 in E minorJohannes Brahms
“Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang”, op. 17 no. 1Stefan Dohr Horn, Marie-Pierre Langlamet Harp, Swedish Radio Choir, Tõnu Kaljuste
Johannes Brahms
Liebeslieder-Walzer, op. 52: ExcerptsSwedish Radio Choir, Tõnu Kaljuste Chorus Master
Maurice Ravel
La Valse, Poème chorégraphique for orchestraJohannes Brahms
Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minorHector Berlioz
La Damnation de Faust, Dramatic Legend, op. 24: Rákóczi March
Claudio Abbado conducts “An Italian Night” at the Waldbühne
Claudio Abbado was born and grew up in the shadow of La Scala in Milan, with the result that he practically imbibed a love of Italian opera with his mother’s milk, and so for his second Waldbühne concert in 1996 he presented a dazzling operatic gala in the form of “An Italian Night” made up of popular favourites by Verdi, Bellini and Rossini. He was joined by three outstanding soloists, Angela Gheorghiu, Bryn Terfel and Sergei Larin, and the Berlin Rundfunkchor.
30 Jun 1996
From the Berlin WaldbühneBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoRundfunkchor Berlin, Angela Gheorghiu, Sergej Larin, Bryn Terfel
Giuseppe Verdi
Nabucco: Overture · Chorus of the Hebrew SlavesRundfunkchor Berlin
Vincenzo Bellini
I Capuleti e i Montecchi: “Eccomi in lieta vesta”Angela Gheorghiu soprano
Giuseppe Verdi
Don Carlo: “È lui! desso, l’infante! … Dio, che nell’alma infondere”Sergej Larin tenor, Bryn Terfel baritone
Giuseppe Verdi
Il trovatore: “Vedi, le fosche notturne spoglie” (Anvil Chorus)Rundfunkchor Berlin
Gioacchino Rossini
Guillaume Tell: OvertureGiuseppe Verdi
La forza del destino: OvertureGiuseppe Verdi
Un ballo in maschera: “Forse la soglia attinse”Sergej Larin tenor
Giuseppe Verdi
Otello: ExcerptsRundfunkchor Berlin, Bryn Terfel baritone, Angela Gheorghiu soprano, Sergej Larin tenor
Giuseppe Verdi
Aida: “Gloria all’Egitto, ad Iside” – Triumphal MarchRundfunkchor Berlin
Giuseppe Verdi
I vespri siciliani: OvertureGioacchino Rossini
Il barbiere di Siviglia: OverturePaul Lincke
Berliner Luft
1996 European Concert from St. Petersburg with Claudio Abbado
There are not many opera houses that deserve the attribute “legendary”, but the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg is certainly one of them. In 1996, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Claudio Abbado held their European Concert there, presenting a Russian-German programme full of colour and verve – which included Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet (which had received its premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre) and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.
01 May 1996
European Concert from St. PetersburgBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoAnatoli Kotcherga, Kolja Blacher
Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo and Juliet, ballet, op. 64: The Montagues and the Capulets · Dance of the five couples · Masks · Dance of the maids with lilies · Death of TybaltSergei Rachmaninov
Aleka, opera: Cavatina “Vyes’ tabor spit”Anatoli Kotcherga Bass
Ludwig van Beethoven
Romances for violin and orchestra No. 1 in G major, op. 40 and No. 2 in F major, op. 50Kolja Blacher Violin
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Nutcracker, op.71: Waltz of the Flowers
Claudio Abbado conducts Russian works at Suntory Hall in Tokyo
There is nowhere else in the world that the Berliner Philharmoniker have been received with more warmth, enthusiasm, and for so many years, than in Japan. Recorded in Suntory Hall in Tokyo in 1994, this concert with Claudio Abbado gives an impression of just the kind of reception they are given. The programme includes major Russian works by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Stravinsky which are shown to their best advantage in the outstanding acoustics of this concert hall.
14 Oct 1994
From Suntory Hall, TokyoBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoModest Mussorgsky
St. John’s Night on the Bare MountainIgor Stravinsky
L’Oiseau de feu (The Firebird), suite (1919)Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 5 in E minor, op. 64
1994 European Concert from Meiningen with Claudio Abbado and Daniel Barenboim
Claudio Abbado and Daniel Barenboim were friends from their student days. This recording from 1994 documents a joint performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 given in the beautifully restored Staatstheater in Meiningen. Hans von Bülow was once Kapellmeister there before he, as first chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker, created the basis of the orchestra's international reputation.
01 May 1994
European Concert from MeiningenBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoDaniel Barenboim
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major, op. 73Daniel Barenboim Piano
Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 2 in D major, op. 73
Claudio Abbado conducts music inspired by the Prometheus myth
One of the hallmarks of Claudio Abbado’s years with the Berliner Philharmoniker was his fondness for programming cycles of concerts on particular themes. Central to this concert from 1992 is the myth of Prometheus. It features music by Beethoven, Liszt and Nono, culminating in Scriabin’s highly virtuosic Prométhée in which the piano soloist is Martha Argerich. No less remarkable is the original filming by director Christopher Swann.
24 May 1992
Prometheus: A film by Christopher SwannBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoMartha Argerich
Ludwig van Beethoven
The Creatures of Prometheus, ballet music, op. 43: excerptsFranz Liszt
Prometheus, Symphonic Poem No. 5Alexander Scriabin
Prométhée – Le Poème du feu, op. 60Martha Argerich piano, Berliner Singakademie, Achim Zimmermann chorus master
Luigi Nono
Prometeo: Seconda IsolaSolistenchor Freiburg, André Richard chorus master, Monika Bair-Ivenz soprano, Ingrid Ade-Jesemann soprano, Ulrike Krumbiegel speaker, Matthias Schadock speaker, Peter Hall tenor, Susanne Otto contralto
Claudio Abbado conducts Mozart at the 1991 European Concert from Prague
This was the concert with which the Berliner Philharmoniker founded the tradition of the European Concerts. The first of these performances took the orchestra and its chief conductor to Prague in 1991, where an all-Mozart programme marked the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth. In addition to Symphonies Nos. 29 and 35, the concert included virtuoso arias with the soprano Cheryl Studer who at that time was at the peak of her career.
01 May 1991
European Concert from PragueBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoCheryl Studer, Bruno Canino
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Don Giovanni: Overture · “Crudele! Ah no, mio bene!” – “Non mi dir, bell’idol mio”Cheryl Studer Soprano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“Ch’io mi scordi di te?” – “Non temer, amato bene”, scena and rondo, K. 505Cheryl Studer Soprano, Bruno Canino Piano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385 “Haffner”
Claudio Abbado’s Inaugural Concert from 1989
It was only logical that Claudio Abbado should start his tenure with the Berliner Philharmoniker in December 1989 conducting Mahler’s First Symphony. Firstly, because Abbado was even then considered one of the great Mahler conductors, and secondly because this symphony is infused with an irresistible expression of freshness and new beginnings. Even today we can feel the special magic of this new beginning in this video document.
16 Dec 1989
Claudio Abbado’s Inaugural ConcertBerliner Philharmoniker
Claudio AbbadoGustav Mahler
Symphony No. 1 in D major
