Archive
Would you like to inform yourself about the last year’s programs or to recall a certain concert? Meet the variety of music and artists that have been guests at the Dresden Music Festival since 2009.
With last year’s theme »Heart of Europe« the Dresden Music Festival plunged deeply into the triangle between Vienna, Budapest and Prague. The Vienna Philahrmonic, the Czech Philharmonic, the Camerata Salzburg, the Pavel Haas Quartet, Muzsikás or the Philharmonics and soloists like Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Angelika Kirchschlager, Hélène Grimaud or Martin Grubinger presented the variety of the musical culture situated in the heart of the continent. The residency of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra from Philadelphia was undoubtedly one of the season’s highlights. The young musicians not only thrilled the audience at the opening night but also at the project »Let's Dance!« with students from Dresden under the guidance of Royston Maldoom. And the 2012 program paid tribute to Dresden’s music history as well with the foundation of the Dresden Festival Orchestra. The newly launched ensemble celebrated a successful premiere und thus fulfilled an enduring dream of Festival-Intendant Jan Vogler.
2012 Program »Heart of Europe« Download PDF
Last year our theme »Five Elements« opened up a wonderful field of action with plenty of room for imagination and musical associations. It was a theme that bridged European culture and Asian philosophy, connecting and juxtaposing different religions and ideals in life. Asia’s cultural ambassadors, such as Cloud Gate, Rain or the artists featured in our series »Asia’s Stars of Tomorrow« were immensely important, since they told us stories from the rich past and the fascinating future of Asia – even when they interpreted Western music. The concurrence of the German Protestant Kirchentag and the Music Festival in Dresden inspired to discover the power of the fifth element spirituality in addition to the four elements earth, water, fire and air.
2011 Program »Five Elements« Download PDF
In 2010 the Dresden Music Festival turned its focus to the East and presented under the imaginary title »Russlandia« a grand retrospective of the rich and vivid Russian music. As already Tschaikowsky, Strawinsky or Schostakowitsch Russian musicians of today also send exceptionally strong signals throughout the world. Among others the Mariinsky Theatre St. Petersburg under Valery Gergiev, the Russian National Orchestra, Vadim Repin, Mischa Maisky, the Borodin Quartet, Mikhail Pletnev, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne under Semyon Bychkov, the orchestra and choir of the Bolschoi Theatre Moscow appeared at the 2010 Festival. Numerous programs also paid tribute to Schumann’s 200th birthday including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under Manfred Honeck or the Orchestra of the 18th Century under Frans Brüggen.
2010 Program »Russlandia« Download PDF
2009 was the first Music Festival season of intendant Jan Vogler. The theme »New World« allowed the festival visitors to discover the tradition of the musical exchange between Europe and America; the impressive works by European composers created in the New World were brought together with fascinating pieces by great American composers. The young New York orchestra The Knights and the soprano Dawn Upshaw opened the festival followed by numerous outstanding artists and orchestras from all over the world, among others the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel, the Vienna Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev, the Emerson String Quartet, René Pape, Juilliard Dance, the pianist Gabriela Montero and world stars like Bobby McFerrin and Ute Lemper came to Dresden and celebrated Dresden as a festival city.
2009 Program »New World« Download PDF