In the beginning was the deluge

Berliner Philharmoniker Our partner Deutsche Bank

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Published on: 26.08.2024

Übersicht

We weren’t planning to mention the weather this year ... but our festival tour begins in Salzburg with a spectacular downpour. Fortunately, the festive atmosphere in the Grosses Festspielhaus is water-tight, and the first concert evening with Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony proves a suitably celebratory start to the week.

Sunday, 25 August 2024

View of the Residenzbrunnen with the fashion statement of the week at the top of the picture ... | Picture: Stephan Rabold

... umbrellas are in! | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Meanwhile, the orchestra - mostly dry - arrives at the Festspielhaus for a rehearsal. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Trombonist Jesper Busk Sørensen warms up backstage. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Colleague Stefan Schulz heads to his seat next to tuba player Alexander von Puttkamer. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

This is our first-ever tour of a Bruckner symphony under chief conductor Kirill Petrenko. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

And the Salzburg audience is delighted - a fantastic start! | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Speaking of openers: Last season, chief conductor Kirill Petrenko revealed in an interview with violist Sebastian Krunnies what fascinates him so much about our second tour programme - Bedřich Smetana’s Mein Vaterland. You can watch the video from our “Upbeat” series here.

Monday, 26 August 2024

Welcome to the Großes Festspielhaus! | Picture: Stephan Rabold

On Monday morning, the open dress rehearsal for friends and supporters of the festival offers a rare listening opportunity. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

The music on the stands is unmistakable: the famous theme from Smetana’s “Moldau” will echo in your head for days. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

The work is dedicated to Smetana’s Czech homeland - the horns around soloist Stefan Dohr feature prominently, not only in the “deep, dark forest” scenes. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

It is thanks to the string sections that we hear the Moldau’s catchy theme tune. Pictured: Eva-Maria Tomasi, Simon Roturier and Angelo de Leo. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Bringing you the bubbling waves at the source of the Vltava: principal flautist Sébastian Jacot. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Alessandro Cappone makes a few final notes - especially with such a well-known work, it’s the details that count. | Picture: Stephan Rabold

Picture: Stephan Rabold

Picture: Stephan Rabold

Catchy tunes and insider tipsPrevious article

Of course, most people have heard “The Vltava” from Smetana’s “My Fatherland”. But the other sections? They are equally captivating! And between the lines, they narrate the tale of an entire nation's voyage of self-discovery. Here are the most important facts in brief.

“Upbeat” with Kirill PetrenkoNext article

For Kirill Petrenko, Bedřich Smetana's “My Fatherland” is one of the “most outstanding works in music history”. In the video, he introduces the composition and explains what particularly fascinates him about it.