A busy joy of discovery - in the exciting combination of meticulous historical research and incredibly lively music-making practice - is perhaps his most striking character trait. And with this unbridled thirst for research, Alessandro de Marchi has turned the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, which he shaped for many years as artistic director and artistic director, into an exciting place for rediscoveries and new encounters. And this desire to revitalize long-forgotten treasures of music history also characterizes the program with which the early music specialist makes his debut with the Duisburg Philharmonic. For example, with Christoph Willibald Gluck, who is known today above all as a great opera reformer, but whose rather neglected pantomime "Don Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre" is brought to life by de Marchi. The Italian conductor is well versed in all aspects of Gluck, as evidenced by an award-winning recording with the countertenor Valer Sabadus. And Carl Heinrich Graun has also long been a confidant of de Marchi; in Innsbruck, for example, he led his opera "Silla" to great success. In Duisburg, however, the audience can look forward to the ballet music "Histoire de Pygmalion" - this too is a real rarity, the performance of which has an air of the extraordinary.

The Touch of the Extraordinary

Philharmonie Mercatorhalle

Only ten years separate the two main works at this concert, and yet Ottorino Respighi and Igor Stravinsky are truly worlds apart. The orchestral suite »Trittico botticelliano« was inspired by the paintings of the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Respighi breathes life into the picturesque scenes through his impressionistic colouring. With its gentle elegance, the suite is one of the composer’s most lyrical works. Stravinsky’s concerto »Dumbarton Oaks«, on the other hand, is influenced by Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. In three movements, its clear structure and contrapuntal density combined with rhythmic energy conspire to create one of the composer’s most striking works for chamber orchestra.

2nd Evening Recital Performance

Semperoper Dresden

There are only ten years between the main works of this concert. And yet Ottorino Respighi and Igor Stravinsky are worlds apart. The orchestral suite "Trittico botticelliano" is inspired by paintings by the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Respighi uses impressionistic colors to bring the picturesque scenes to life. With its gentle elegance, the suite is one of Respighi's most poetic works. Stravinsky's concerto "Dumbarton Oaks" is influenced by Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. In three movements, it combines clear structure and contrapuntal density with rhythmic energy and is considered one of the most concise chamber orchestra works from Stravinsky's pen.

2nd performance evening

A motley group of travellers on their way to Reims for the coronation of Charles X is billeted in the Hotel zur Goldenen Lilie. But when it transpires that no fresh horses are available for the stage coach, they realise they’re stranded.

The journey to Reims

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Following on from Puccini’s LA RONDINE and Johann Strauss’s DIE FLEDERMAUS, Rolando Villazón returns to the Deutsche Oper Berlin to tackle one of the great comedies of the bel canto genre and demonstrate that he can do humour. L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI remains one of the most popular works by Gioacchino Rossini, who is said to have dashed the piece off in less than a month and was a tender 21 years of age when the opera premiered at Venice’s Teatro San Benedetto in 1813. It’s a testament to Rossini’s boldness that he chose material that had been set to music only a few years before by his more experienced colleague Luigi Mosca. His audacity paid off, with the subsequent triumph bringing him immediate fame across Italy and widespread popularity soon afterwards throughout Europe.

Alessandro De Marchi

Events

Upcoming events

Mar 8 - Apr 2, 2026

L’Italiana in Algeri · Deutsche Oper Berlin

Past events

26 - 27 Mar, 2025

The Touch of the Extraordinary · Duisburger Philharmoniker

Jan 30, 2025

2nd Evening Recital Performance · Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Future and recently performed repertoire

Conductor in Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 by Bach

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Conductor in L'italiana in Algeri by Rossini

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Conductor in Concerto in E-flat major by Stravinsky

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Conductor in Bassoon Concerto in A minor by Vivaldi

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Conductor in Trittico botticelliano by Respighi

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Conductor in Bassoon Concerto in E-flat major by Vivaldi

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Conductor in Concerto in E-flat major for chamber orchestra by Stravinsky

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Conductor in Il viaggio a Reims by Rossini

Deutsche Oper Berlin

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