Our concert hall organ, the "orchestra in one instrument," is at the center of Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto - a work full of contrasts. Sometimes deeply serious, almost sacred, then surprisingly playful, Poulenc combines tradition and modernity in a fascinating way. The soloist of the evening, Anna Lapwood, one of the most exciting organists of her generation, impresses with her virtuosity and her ability to engage people with classical music.

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Lapwood with Poulenc

Palace of Culture

This year’s Remembrance Concert commemorating the destruction of Dresden on 13 February 1945 features Igor Stravinsky’s »Mass«, a deliberately sober, liturgically reduced Mass setting. The composer did not produce a bombastic celebration of Christ’s sacrifice but rather a piece of quiet contemplation. Anton Bruckner’s Ninth feels rather like a testimonial. The composer dedicated the symphony to »our dear Lord« as an act of the deepest devotion. The three completed movements take us on an emotional journey from loss and devastation to hope before the unfinished work fades into silence. Daniele Gatti unites these two compositions to create a poignant tapestry of mourning, remembrance and contemporary spirituality.

Symphony Concert N° 6

Semperoper Dresden

Creating a film to accompany a symphony is something special, after all, classical music is something abstract and leaves a lot of room for associations. But perhaps that is precisely the key. William Kentridge, to whom the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden have dedicated a focus in 2025, had plenty of associations with Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony and turned them into an impressive film for a visually-acoustic experience. Michael Sanderling, who enjoys an excellent reputation as a Shostakovich specialist, conducts this symphony while Kentridge's film is simultaneously shown on the big screen.

Kentridge and Shostakovich

Gustav Mahler’s »Kindertotenlieder« were written, as he said, »in one breath«. This is music of harrowing intimacy, in which the focus is not on pain but rather the depiction of suffering through images of quiet consolation. Composed between 1901 and 1904, the cycle explores a theme that, tragically, would affect Mahler only a few years later. In his Seventh Symphony, however, the composer strikes a very different tone: enigmatic, fragmented, often unearthly. Two so-called Nachtmusiken (Night Musics) frame a ghostly scherzo that oscillates between darkness and demonic mockery. But then comes the turning point: the Finale shocks with the glaring light of day, almost as if from another world – triumphant yet at the same time ambiguous.

Symphony Concert N° 7

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Alma Mahler's Seven Songs immediately lead us into the world of the turn of the century: emotions between melancholy and hope, set to music with a deep, almost intimate expressiveness. In the arrangement for medium voice and orchestra, they unfold a sonic dimension that both touches and inspires. On the other hand, Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, known as "From the New World," is quite different. It bridges the gap between two continents and pours the impressions of a life in foreign America into grand symphonic arches. Longing sounds here like a distant memory, pulsating yet full of vastness. Dvořák's famous English horn theme, often referred to as the "Song of the Lonely Wanderer," captivates as much as the dynamic contrasts between drama and delicate lyricism. An evening that explores completely different soundscapes – and shows how diverse musical longing can sound.

From the New World

Camille Saint-Saëns' Second Piano Concerto is one of the most versatile works in romantic piano literature. With its unusual structure, it begins like an improvised fantasy before building up to a virtuosic and rhythmically striking finale. Bertrand Chamayou, one of the leading pianists of his generation, interprets the work with technical brilliance and musical depth, effectively showcasing the contrasting moods of this concerto. Hector Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique" is a milestone in program music, narrating in five movements the passionate and increasingly nightmarish vision of a young artist. The multifaceted instrumentation, ranging from lyrical melodies to dark sounds of the "Witches' Sabbath," makes the work an impressive example of romantic sonic art.

Symphonie fantastique

Claude Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" is a masterpiece of Impressionism. Inspired by a poem by the Symbolist Stéphane Mallarmé, the music paints the picture of a dreaming faun on a warm afternoon. With floating flute sounds and gentle harmonies, Debussy transports us into a world between dream and reality – a sensory delight in sound. Not many works of the 20th century are as naturally included in concert programs today as the music of Maurice Duruflé, who passed away in 1986. Particularly his sacred vocal music continues to enjoy enduring popularity, surely also due to its accessible musical language. Duruflé had little interest in breaking with tradition; in his 1947 Requiem, he engaged with the model of the two generations older Gabriel Fauré and let his enthusiasm for Gregorian chant run free. However, the work is not backward-looking: Contrary to the operatic settings of the Requiem in the 19th century, Duruflé focused less on the pains of the Last Judgment and more on the otherworldly redemption. Chief conductor Sir Donald Runnicles and the MDR Radio Choir infuse this work with a special intensity through their sensitivity and beauty of sound.

Sir Donald with Debussy

At the center of the concert evening is the brilliant Jess Gillam, one of the most exciting musicians of our time. With her soprano saxophone, she combines technical virtuosity and charismatic stage presence like rarely seen. Two works put the saxophone in the spotlight: Dave Heath's "The Celtic" and James MacMillan's Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and String Orchestra. Both works are tailor-made for Jess Gillam. Heath's "The Celtic" combines Celtic melancholy with rhythmic energy, while MacMillan's work explores the boundaries of the instrument's timbres and expressive possibilities. His most famous is certainly the Ninth, but for many, Antonín Dvořák's Seventh Symphony is his best. This music feels rugged and melancholic, yet compact and strict. There is no superfluous note here, every motif is worked through, every counterpoint has something to say. No question: this is not cozy folk music from a Bohemian village tavern, but highly concentrated symphonic music in the spirit of Beethoven and Brahms.

Dvořák 7

Bruckner's Second Symphony is often referred to as the "Symphony of Pauses." But do not worry: these pauses are not silent, but full of tension and give the music room to breathe. A music that was initially considered unplayable by contemporaries. The Vienna Philharmonic initially rejected the work, deeming it far too long. Bruckner shortened it, rented the large hall at the Musikverein at his own expense, rehearsed thoroughly with the orchestra - and was successful. And what a success it was, the applause of the premiere audience on October 26, 1773, seemed never-ending. Bruckner himself later referred to it as the "most memorable day of my life." Today, the symphony is somewhat overshadowed by its successors, but unjustly so. Everything that Bruckner enthusiasts appreciate: the grand arcs of tension, the delicate as well as the powerful moments, the abrupt pauses and new beginnings - they are all already present here. Christoph Eschenbach is considered a Bruckner specialist; that is why we have invited him to conduct it.

Eschenbach with Bruckner

Mozart's Piano Concerto in D minor is one of his most exciting works and, even 200 years after its creation, has lost none of its power. The key of D minor alone shows that this is not about light entertainment. This music tells of great emotions: drama, longing, and passion. He wrote the concerto at a time when he was exploring new paths with his music and bravely experimenting. Particularly impressive is the dialogue between the piano and the orchestra - sometimes they are adversaries, sometimes they merge together. The melodies are so captivating that they became famous even back then and still move people today. At the beginning, Malte Arkona introduces the concerto, and afterwards, you can ask your own questions during the After Concert Talk. So, a concert that not only allows you to listen but also to participate - an experience for all the senses!

Best of Classics: Mozart Piano Concerto

Mieczysław Weinberg's Sinfonietta No. 1 is a work full of lightness and accessibility. However, behind the optimistic sound lies a disturbing story. Composed in 1948, the piece was created in the midst of Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign. Officially celebrated as "bright and optimistic," it met political expectations without betraying Weinberg's progressive composition style. With hints of Jewish folk music, clever variations, and a touch of Shostakovich, it remains a fascinating balancing act between conformity and artistic freedom. Mozart's Piano Concerto KV 466 appears as a contrast, but in its key of D minor, it is also a work full of dramatic depth. Mozart wrote it during a time of personal upheaval and suffering. In a quasi-reconciliatory manner, the concert concludes with Glazunov's "The Seasons," bringing nature to life in vibrant orchestral colors.

Mozart and Glazunov

A romantic programme with a close connection to Dresden. As royal Kapellmeister from 1817, Carl Maria von Weber had a long-lasting impact on the city’s musical life. His »Oberon« overture is a late vision of romantic opera that is both radiant and dramatically charged. Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto was premiered on 4 December 1845 at the local Hotel de Saxe with Clara Schumann as soloist and Ferdinand Hiller conducting. Clara noted in her diary: »The concerto is quite rich in invention. All the movements are particularly beautiful, all of a piece, fresh and not too long.« Johannes Brahms was also closely associated with Dresden, frequently performing here as a pianist and conductor of his own works.

Symphony Concert N° 9

Grigory Sokolov is a legend. Describing him as one of the most significant pianists of the present day is not an assertion, but a widely confirmed fact. Critics of high standing admit that they lack the right words to describe his art. But perhaps one doesn't even need words, but rather be convinced by him directly. "Art is a parallel universe to reality," he says, and proves it in a unique way in each of his concerts. And as always, he keeps it exciting: he announces his programs at short notice. Thus, the anticipation of a reliably unforgettable concert experience can blend with the expectation of the unexpected when the pianist unfolds his magic touch with music from the Baroque, Viennese Classical, or Romantic periods. By invitation of the Dresden Philharmonic in cooperation with DK Deutsche Klassik.

Grigory Sokolov

Bach - Britten - Pärt - MacMillan: On the "Day of Liberation" on May 8th, we musically bridge to Great Britain with our Philharmonic Choirs and present a program that illuminates different musical approaches to themes such as peace, remembrance, and spirituality. In his "Sinfonia da Requiem," Benjamin Britten combines liturgical elements with his personal musical language. Created against the backdrop of World War II, the composition stands as a monument and plea for peace and humanity. Arvo Pärt's "Da pacem Domine" combines meditative calmness and a clear, simple aesthetic. Pärt's minimalist musical language elevates the Latin plea for peace into a timeless, universal dimension. However, the musical core of the concert consists of two works by our Composer in Residence, who also conducts. Particularly poignant are his "Cantos Sagrados." "When composing this piece, I wanted to create something that is both timeless and contemporary, both sacred and secular," he says. The result is a moving work for choir and orchestra that is particularly touching under his direction.

MacMillan and Choir

Blending sonic mysticism with maritime contemplation, this concert unites German and French Romanticism in a way that is both rich in contrasts and affinities. Richard Wagner’s music from »Parsifal« and »Tristan und Isolde« transports us into worlds of redemption and Liebestod (love death), metaphysical silence and burning ecstasy. Between these works come two French masterpieces that create their own unique sensuality: Camille Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto is a virtuoso and dramatic concert piece without symphonic pretensions, while Claude Debussy’s »La Mer« is an impressionistic naturalistic panorama, full of movement and refracting sunlight. The Cello Concerto is interpreted by our »Artist in Residence« Gautier Capuçon, a master of the warm, cantabile tone.

Symphony Concert N° 10

At the center of the concert is the outstanding cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and works that highlight the versatility and radiance of English music through the centuries. Edmund Finnis' "Hymn", originally part of his string quartet "Aloysius" and arranged here for string orchestra, is inspired by William Byrd's setting of the hymn "Christe, qui lux es et dies". The music reflects the rising and setting of sunlight and combines the spiritual depth of the 16th century with Finnis' own musical language. With his cello concerto - a European premiere - Finnis explores the colorful range of expression of the cello in connection with a lively orchestral sound. William Lawes' "The Sunrise", a work from the English Early Baroque, captures the beauty and symbolism of a sunrise. Arthur Bliss' "A Colour Symphony" is finally inspired by the symbolic meanings of different colors. Here, musical and visual layers merge into a multifaceted interpretation of color and sound. Concert as part of the Dresden Music Festival.

 Symphony Concert The Explorer Kanneh-Mason - Dresden Philharmonic - Manze

Contemporary composers often struggle to become known to a wider audience. This is different for Jörg Widmann. Not only is he a celebrated clarinetist, but also perhaps the most performed living German composer. His "Con brio" is a captivating concert overture that captivates from the first second. With incredible dynamics and precise rhythm, Widmann unleashes a musical fireworks display. The virtuosity of the orchestra is also put to the test. On the other hand, Carl Maria von Weber's Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F minor is a masterpiece of Romanticism. The soloist becomes a storyteller here: especially the lyrically beautiful Adagio touches the soul... Weber's music impressively shows why the clarinet is one of the most expressive instruments. Ludwig van Beethoven's Fifth Symphony with its "Fate motif" - that compelling ta-ta-ta-taaa - is known to everyone, and yet it impresses anew every time. From the dark beginnings to the triumphant finale, Beethoven tells of struggle, hope, and victory. This symphony is a milestone in music history and an overwhelming final chord for this special concert evening.

Beethoven 5

When Beethoven wrote his Fifth and final piano concerto in 1809, Vienna was besieged by Napoleon's troops. The sounds of war and economic uncertainty – his patron Archduke Rudolf had left the city – influenced the creation of the work. Beethoven composed a piano concerto with an exceptionally new form for the time, in which the soloist alternates between heroic and peaceful moments. Despite the difficult circumstances, the work does not reflect fatalism, but rather a solemn struggle for freedom and against oppression. Gustav Mahler's First Symphony also reflects intense personal experiences. His unhappy love for the singer Johanna Richter inspired him to create the "Songs of a Wayfarer," from which he incorporated motifs into the first and third movements of the symphony. In an emotional state of exception, Mahler completed the symphony in just six weeks. The premiere in Budapest in 1889 was met with incomprehension, prompting Mahler to revise the work multiple times. Today, it is among his most frequently performed symphonies.

Sir Donald with Mahler

Violin Concerto No. 2 - Bartók / Symphony No. 4 - Brahms

Marie Jacquot is one of the leading conductors of her generation. According to one critic, her interpretations are »more inventive than innovation-driven, they float, they arise autonomously, without the gesture of emancipating oneself from anything.« In Dresde1, the French maestra will present two key works: Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major, a piece of luminous clarity with a symphonic breadth and formal balance, complemented by Béla Bartók’s »Concerto for Orchestra«, which the composer wrote in 1943 while living as an émigré in America. This is a work of irrepressible energy and subtle irony, combining counterpoint, Hungarian folklore and late Romantic opulence.

Orchestral events in Dresden

Lapwood with Poulenc

Dresdner Philharmonie

Symphony Concert N° 6

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

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Symphony Concert N° 7

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

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From the New World

Dresdner Philharmonie

Symphonie fantastique

Dresdner Philharmonie

Sir Donald with Debussy

Dresdner Philharmonie

Dvořák 7

Dresdner Philharmonie

Eschenbach with Bruckner

Dresdner Philharmonie

Best of Classics: Mozart ...

Dresdner Philharmonie

Mozart and Glazunov

Dresdner Philharmonie

Symphony Concert N° 9

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Grigory Sokolov

Dresdner Philharmonie

MacMillan and Choir

Dresdner Philharmonie

Symphony Concert N° 10

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Symphony Concert The Exp...

Dresdner Philharmonie

Beethoven 5

Dresdner Philharmonie

Sir Donald with Mahler

Dresdner Philharmonie

Violin Concerto No. 2 - B...

Kulturpalast

Symphony Concert N° 11

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden