News

This year’s Dresden Music Festival will take place from 18 May-5 June 2011. It will be the third festival under the direction of Intendant and cellist Jan Vogler. With the festival motto “Five Elements”  in mind - earth, water, fire, air, spirituality - he is focusing on the music of Asia. The emergent city of Dresden with its rebuilt Baroque city centre and the famous Frauenkirche will open its doors to renowned as well as to young artists and ensembles, juxtapositioning works and performers from both oriental and occidental parts of the world – a special kind of musical journey.

In the following, we would like to give you an overview on some of the outstanding festival events:

Wed, 18 May – Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Esa-Pekka Salonen and soprano Lilly Paasikivi perform Kaija Saariaho’s “Lumière et Pesanteur” as well as Mahler’s symphony No. 3 at the opening concert

Thu, 19 May - Korean dancer and singer Rain and cellist Jan Vogler gather for Asian Pop meets European Classics

Sat, 21 May – New York Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert and baritone Thomas Hampson perform Mahler’s “Kindertotenlieder” and symphony No. 5

Tue, 24 May - Christian Tetzlaff, Six Bach sonatas and partitas for solo violin

25/26/29/30/31 May – Asia’s stars of tomorrow - this festival concert series introduces some of Asia’s greatest young talents who interprete classical Western music as well as compositions from their home countries

Sat, 28 May Arabian Nights, Absolute Ensemble, K. Järvi - The New York-based Absolute Ensemble and its conductor Kristjan Järvi travel in pursuit of music without borders – from East to West and vice versa

Thu, 02 June Thomaner & Kruzianer – Two famous Dresden boy’s choirs which were both founded in the 14th century, sing works by Mendelssohn, Bach and ‘birthday boy’ Franz Liszt

02/03 June Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan & Rustavi Chor - before a backdrop of Georgian chants, elements of Peking Opera, Tai-Chi and Buddhist meditations are combined

Fri, 03 June Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle perform Gustav Mahler’s symphony No. 6 – This concert also features the grant of the Glashütte Original MusicFestivalAward

Sun, 05 June Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach and cellist Jan Vogler present Dvorak’s cello concerto and Saint-Saëns’ organ symphony

Please find the complete program here.