"Music for the Advent Period" from Dresden on German ZDF: Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva was the star of the evening

The Dresden Music for the Advent Period concerts have been broadcast on German
ZDF since the year 2000.

The Music for the Advent Period concert from the Dresden's beautifully restored Frauenkirche, broadcast by German ZDF on the First Sunday of Advent, has for years now been a wonderful beginning of the Christmas music season on television. The concert today was no exception, even without Chief Conductor Christian Thielemann this year conducting his fine Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden.



Markus Poschner made his debut with the Staatskapelle Dresden.

Due to the sudden illness of Franz Welser-Möst, who was scheduled to conduct the Advent concert this year, the Generalmusikdirektor of the Bremen Philharmonic, Markus Poschner, was the "master of ceremonies", and he did it very well, indeed.

American mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato - one of the most sought after mezzos in the world - gave a commanding rendition of Pietro Mascagni's Ave Maria, and I also enjoyed the singing of German tenor Klaus Florian Vogt.



Soprano Julia Lezhneva in front of the Staatskapelle Dresden.

However, for me the young Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva (she is only 23!) was the "star" of the evening. I had never heard her before, but listening to her singing Tu virginum corona and Alleluia from Mozart's Exultate, Jubilate, made it easy to understand why she has been blessed with so much critical acclaim despite of her young age.



Julia Lezhneva sings like an angel!

And it is not only the beauty of Julia Lezhneva's voice, but her entire personality that mesmerizes audiences. She sings - and even looks - like a little angel, without the slightest trace of diva behaviour, which is so common among many of her older, more well known colleagues. One can only hope that she stays this way!

The Kammerchor der Frauenkirche Dresden (The Frauenkirche chamber chorus) also deserves high marks. Their sensitive singing and beautiful phrasing greatly contributed to the success of the evening.

PS

Here is a video for those who are not familiar with the captivating voice of Julia Lezhneva:

 

A renaissance for operetta in Europe

This is what Piotr Beczcala, the world's number one tenor in the operetta repertoire, says about the demands of the genre:  "Operetta is in my opinion valuable, magnificient, but today underrated. I take the vocal demands of this music very seriously and consider it a real challenge." In another recent interview the singer said that he is very much hoping for an operetta renaissance.

Finally, there is some really good news for friends of operetta! This genre, so often derided by "serious" classical music critics, is in for a renaissance, according to Peter Schwenkow, one of Europe's leading concert organizers and managers:

"I am thoroughly convinced that an unbelievable renaissance is awaiting the operetta. We know that classical music superstars are going to publish operetta albums. Christian Thielemann is conducting a pure Kálmán program on ZDF on New Year's Eve. And Kálmán's daughter is refering to Anna Netrebko. The Russian star soprano is going to record 'The Gipsy Princess' with Jonas Kaufmann". 

The New Year's concert, broadcast from Dresden's Semper Oper, that Schwenkow was speaking about turned out to be a huge success, as earlier was reported on this blog. The operetta gala concerts from Dresden have now become a tradition that millions of television viewers look forward to. 

Christian Thielemann - here shown at the Operettengala concert on December 30, 2012 - is not afraid of praising operetta music.

Before the December 30 concert Christian Thielemann had this to say about operetta music:

"These pieces have been underrated for years, and not performed by the best singers. Take a look at those who previously used to sing operetta, and you will be amazed. All the big stars. Hilde Güden was singing this, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Fritz Wunderlich, Anneliese Rothenberger, Rita Streich, Hermann Prey, René Kollo. At some stage this then changed. And suddenly it was said: Oh, this stale old stuff. It was considered unsophisticated, petty bourgeois, it was simply not played anymore."

In the same interview Thielemann mentions that there are plans for new operetta performances at the legendary Festpielhaus in Baden-Baden. And we already know that the Seefestspiele Berlin will in August open with performances of the "Gypsy Princess". 

Soprano Ingeborg Schöpf at the successful Operettengala in
Dresden on December 30, 2012.

Also, the new intendent of Berlin's famous Komische Oper, Barry Kosky has declared that he plans to bring more operetta into the theatre's repertoire. The successful revival of Emmerich Kálmán’s "Die Bajadere" in December last year was the first promising beginning.  

All in all, friends of operetta have a lot to look forward to in the coming years!

An unforgettable New Year's Concert from the Semper Oper in Dresden

Christian Thielemann again created an evening of musical magic.

Last night, German  ZDF was the first television channel to broadcast its New Year's concert. And what a concert it was! 

Television audiences have already been spoiled by several world class performances with the great Christian Thielemann conducting his Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, but last night's gala concert from the beautiful Semper Oper, with music by Emmerich Kálmán, was unforgettable. 

And the fact that soprano Diana Damrau had taken ill and was unable to sing did not matter at all, because she was so ably replaced by Dresden's "own" star soprano Ingeborg Schöpf. 

Soprano Ingeborg Schöpf excelled in "Heia, heia, in den Bergen ist mein Heimatland".

Schöpf and the Polish tenor Piotr Beczala brought down the house with such  Kálmán favorites as "Höre ich Zigeunergeigen", "Komm, Zigány", "Einmal möcht`ich wieder tanzen", "Heia, heia, in den Bergen ist mein Heimatland", "Weiss Du es noch?" and "Zwei Märchenaugen". 

Bezcala and Schöpf enjoyed singing together.

Operetta songs are easy for the ear, but very demanding to perform. It is difficult to imagine that any other active tenor would be better than the great Beczala in this repertoire. 

Piotr Beczala, arguably the best tenor in the world in the operetta repertoire.

This New Year's concert is bound to become a classic! 

PS

The recording of the concert is now available here. Highly recommended!