PUCCINI La fanciula del west BEETHOVEN: Mass in C, Op. 86. STRAVINSKY: Symphony in Three Movements.
HUMMEL: Trumpet Concerto in E. BRITTEN: Death in Venice To celebrate Mariss Janson's 75th birthday a special concert was presented in January 2018 recorded live in Munich's Gastieg Philharmonie. It seems a rather odd program opening with Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements followed by a trumpet concerto by Hummel, and ending with Beethoven's Mass in C. DVD program notes attempt to justify this by stating the three works are "linked together by escalating intensity" whatever that means. We do have an energetic performance of Stravinsky;s 1934 Symphony, after which there is a dazzling performance of the Hummel trumpet concerto. DVD notes say nothing a about the soloist, Martin Angerer, but he is a leading virtuoso and has appeared often in concerts and festival performances. Since 2017, he has ben Principal Trumpet with the Bavarian Orchestra. Beethoven's Mass brings the concert to a mighty close, with four first-cass soloists, and a perfect chorus. Impressive music-making throughout, with splendid video and audio. Jansons has been associated with these Bavarian forces for 18 years; let us hope he will continue for many more Death in Venice was Britten's last opera, obviously of great importance to him personally. Obsessed with completing the opera, he worked feverishly on it although very ill; The premiere took place June 16, 1973.The opera is based on a novella by German author Thomas Mann. The principal character is Gustav von Aschenbach, an aging disillusioned author who travels to Venice for a rest and assessment of his life. While there he sees the young boy Tadzio and is infatuated with him, following him around Venice. The opera ends with the death of Aschenbach, a tragic rather confused man. Britten's opera is really a play with incidental music appropriately dark and despairing. Surely this performance filmed December 17 / 19, 2014 at Teatro Real in Madrid, presents the work effectively. Video and audio are excellent. . This is the dark side of Britten and opera, theater rather than opera. There are many other videos of Death in Venice should it interest you, In 1971 the novella was made into a highly respected and successful film with Dirk Bogard directed by Luciano Visconti. R.E.B. (December 2018). |