Conductor

The Notations span the life's work of French composer Pierre Boulez, who is regarded as one of the central figures of New Music after the Second World War. In 1945, he first created his 12 Notations for solo piano - a debut work consisting of twelve pieces of twelve bars each with a clear connection to the twelve-tone technique. Around three decades later, Boulez expanded the miniatures for piano into the powerful-sounding Notations for orchestra, which are characterised by an expressionist intensity and a melodic and rhythmic complexity. Under the direction of Cornelius Meister, who was once Boulez's assistant, this key work of New Music will be combined with Anton Bruckner's eighth Symphony.

EPSG:4326

2. Symphony Concert

Beethoven Hall (Beethovensaal)

Fear of death - a bad advisor since time immemorial: King Idomeneo, whose fleet sinks into the waters of Crete shortly before returning home from the Trojan War, swears to the sea god Poseidon that if he survives, he will sacrifice the first human being he meets on the shore. But as fate – or rather the theater – would have it, this is of course his own son Idamante. To make matters worse, he has fallen in love with a Trojan prisoner, Ilia, which infuriates the Greek princess Elettra. Idomeneo, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s perfect "drama for music", is one of a series of Greek war dramas retold according to the taste of the 18th century.

Idomeneo

The Staatstheater Stuttgart

Max, the hunter’s apprentice, has to land a direct hit at the upcoming shooting match in order to marry his beloved Agathe. Out of his fear of potential failure, Max gets involved with "dark forces" in the wolf’s canyon: Six sure-fire bullets for his sole use whilst the seventh bullet is reserved for the devil to strike any victim he chooses. Carl Maria von Weber‘s Freischütz, which premiered in 1821, is the epitome of a German romantic opera. Never before have occult, transcendental and supernatural ideas been transformed into music so full of suggestive sounds.

Der Freischütz

This work marks the start of the legendary collaboration between Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Elektra is a dark and wild work whose musical and dramatic power never ceases to fascinate. The score and main role are unique in the lyric repertoire and Strauss, a great tonal painter, immerses us in unprecedented musical and vocal violence. In a single act lasting just under 1 hour and 45 minutes, the musician traces and dissects the meanderings and flashes of radiance of the human psyche based on Sophocles’ tragedy reworked by Hugo Von Hofmannstahl. To avenge the sacrifice of her daughter Iphigenia, Queen Clytemnestra murders her husband, King Agamemnon. His murder invokes the revenge of their daughter Elektra. But it is not easy to kill your mother and vengeance sets in motion an unstoppable chain of events. Strauss puts the singers through their paces, especially the title role. Elektra is a true test of strength for the soprano and is reputed to be one of the most difficult roles in the operatic repertoire. With the extraordinary dramatic and vocal intensity she recently demonstrated in Munich, Iréne Theorin is one of the finest performers in this role today. Violeta Urmana’s Clytemnestra will be more than a match for Elektra’s power.

Elektra

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

A material that is as popular as it is ambivalent and evokes countless associations with one word: Casanova! Just one day after Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill had launched probably the theater sensation of the Weimar Republic with the Threepenny Opera in what would later become the Berliner Ensemble, director and choreographer Erik Charell followed suit right next door in the predecessor of the Friedrichstadtpalast. The capital’s press was enthusiastic: “Casanova is a great success. It means the resurrection of the operetta!” (Der Montag). The “electrifying music of Johann Strauss” (Berliner Tageblatt) was not only rearranged by Ralph Benatzky, but also electrified – by “the new instrument vibraphone”, as announced in the program booklet for the premiere.

Casanova

The survival of the Holy Grail’s community is threatened by King Amfortas‘ wound which he received by the magician Klingsor. The only hope that the men have left now is the arrival of a so-called »innocent fool«, who has to become »knowledgeable by empathy«. Parsifal is the chosen one, but is unaware of his appointment as the redeemer of their plight. The seeress Kundry takes it upon her to show him his destiny.

Parsifal

In their own way, both are farewell works: the double concerto with which Johannes Brahms concluded his orchestral work, and the unfinished Symphony No. 9 by Anton Bruckner. Not every farewell has to be tearful: while Brahms swears his friendship with one of his most loyal artistic companions, Bruckner once again expresses his certainty of faith in music. In addition, we are looking forward to seeing Cornelius Meister, who grew up in Hanover, at the conductor's desk again in this final symphony concert of the season!

Epic. Brahms' Double Concerto and Bruckner's Unfinished Ninth

NDR Konzerthaus | Großer Sendesaal

Cornelius Meister and the Staatsorchester Stuttgart are once again performing a symphony cycle this season.
Following the complete Schumann and Brahms symphonies, the last six Mozart symphonies and symphonies by Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky, the focus is now on the only four major symphonies by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. His First, written at the age of 15, was premièred at the Mendelssohn home for his sister Fanny's birthday. This was followed in 1830 by the so-called "Reformation Symphony". However, as it only appeared in print posthumously in 1868, it was given the number 5.

6. Symphony Concert

Ida Ränzlöv presents a recital program in the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, accompanied by Cornelius Meister.

5. Song Recital

Galería Estatal de Stuttgart

Gustav Mahler and Arnold Schönberg met for the first time in Vienna in 1903. A friendly friendship immediately developed. These pioneers of modernism meet again in the program of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. The Korean Unsuk Chin will perform a concert suite from her successful opera "Alice in Wonderland."

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin | Cornelius Meister

Museum Ludwig

A (hopefully!) balmy summer evening and the most wonderful music in a relaxed atmosphere: the Sparda Klassik Open Air will take place for the second time on the Killesberg in July 2025. The Staatsorchester Stuttgart and GMD Cornelius Meister present an entertaining yet challenging program for the whole family. This year, we have invited over 1,000 primary school children from the "SingGrund" project (singing elementary schools Filderstadt) as special guests. A program by Monika Grauschopf, who, like us, is convinced that singing together is one of the best ways to make this world a better place - and therefore helps every primary school child in Filderstadt to sing for an hour a week. This year, their big final concert is the prologue to our summer concert.

Sparda Klassik Open Air

Höhenpark Killesberg

With Gustav Mahler's monumental Eighth Symphony, Cornelius Meister and the State Orchestra continue their Mahler cycle and, together with eight vocal soloists, the children's choir and the State Opera Choir, bring the symphony concert series to a crowning conclusion. Shortly after completing the score, Mahler said in 1907: "The symphony must be like the world. It must encompass everything". This central credo for Mahler is reflected in the variety of forms and musical characters of his Eighth Symphony. Baroque fugue techniques can be found in it as well as a tonal language influenced by Richard Wagner. The first and only two performances during his lifetime were Mahler's greatest triumph. After the premiere in 1910, Thomas Mann commented that Mahler embodied "the most serious and sacred artistic will of our time".

Cornelius Meister

Conductor

Events

Upcoming events

Apr 6 - May 11, 2025

Parsifal · Staatsoper Stuttgart

8 - 9 May, 2025

Epic. Brahms' Double Concerto and Bruckner's Unfinished Ninth · NDR Radiophilharmonie

25 - 26 May, 2025

6. Symphony Concert · Staatsoper Stuttgart

Jun 5, 2025

5. Song Recital · Staatsorchester Stuttgart

Jun 29, 2025

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin | Cornelius Meister · Kölner Philharmonie

Past events

8 - 9 Dec, 2024

2. Symphony Concert · Staatsoper Stuttgart

Nov 24 - Dec 27, 2024

Idomeneo · Staatsoper Stuttgart

Future and recently performed repertoire

Conductor in Symphony No. 4 by Mahler

Kölner Philharmonie

Conductor in Chamber Symphony No. 1 by Schönberg

Kölner Philharmonie

Conductor in Alice in Wonderland by Chin

Kölner Philharmonie

Conductor in Symphony No. 9 in D minor by Bruckner

NDR Radiophilharmonie

Conductor in Concerto for Violin, Violoncello and Orchestra in A minor by Brahms

NDR Radiophilharmonie

Conductor in Concert introduction "Yellow Sofa" by Sendesaal

NDR Radiophilharmonie

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