The Ekhof-Festival 2024 presents "Brundibár," a poignant children's opera performed by the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach in collaboration with the Musikschule Johann Sebastian Bach Eisenach. This production, under the musical direction of Natalia Strathmann-Alencova, features the talented young voices of the Kinderchor der Musikschule Johann Sebastian Bach Eisenach. The opera, composed by Hans Krása with a libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister, tells the touching story of Aninka and Pepíček, two siblings who face adversity with courage and the help of unexpected friends—a sparrow, a cat, and a dog. Together, they rally the children of their neighborhood to overcome the malevolent organ grinder Brundibár, illustrating the power of unity and friendship.

Originally composed in 1938 and secretly performed in a Jewish children's home, "Brundibár" was officially premiered in the Theresienstadt concentration camp, where it provided a rare moment of normalcy and joy for the children involved. This historical context adds a layer of depth to the opera, making it not only a musical performance but also a tribute to resilience and hope. The collaboration with the Achava Festspielen Weimar further enriches this production, ensuring a memorable experience that honors the legacy of its creators and performers.

EPSG:4326

Brundibár Kinderoper

Schloss Friedenstein Gotha

Philharmonic Unplugged

Large Spa House Bad Füssing

CONCERT FOR THE SYMPHONY WEEKEND • Special concert

Eisenach Wandelhalle

Kammerkonzert Mit Dem Spohr-quartett

Schloss Altenstein

Stummfilmkonzert „safety Last!“ | Kunstfest Weimar

Weimar Audimax der Bauhaus-Uni Weimar

The Ekhof-Festival 2024 presents "Barock ImPuls," a captivating arienkonzert featuring the extraordinary talents of Venezuelan sopranist Samuel Mariño. Set in the historic Ekhof-Theater, where the walls echo with stories of the past, this concert promises an evening of musical excellence. Samuel Mariño, known for his angelic voice and unique ability to reach the soprano heights of 18th-century castrati, will perform arias by Christoph Willibald Gluck and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His voice, described as having a uniquely vibrant and pearly timbre, gently caresses the souls of the audience, taking them on an emotional journey through the depths of the characters he portrays. The Barockorchester der Thüringen Philharmonie, under the expert direction of Baroque specialist Michael Hofstetter, provides the perfect accompaniment, creating a harmonious blend that allows Mariño's voice to soar. This concert is a testament to the timeless beauty and emotional power of Baroque music, offering an experience of unparalleled intensity and elegance.

Ekhof-Festival 2024:"Barock Impuls" MIT Samuel Marino

He has catapulted himself to the top of the German-speaking entertainment industry at breathtaking speed over the last three years: GIOVANNI ZARRELLA, singer, presenter and entertainer. With his unmistakable voice, his irresistible Italian charm, his modern interpretations of Italian classics and big German hits, he has become an absolute superstar in recent years. His passion for music has always been the focus for GIOVANNI ZARRELLA and with his solo tour in autumn 2022 and the summer open airs in 2023 he thrilled thousands of viewers. From summer 2024, the charismatic entertainer will go on a big summer tour with his great band - known from his own big ZDF Saturday night show - and will present live not only the biggest German hits in Italian, but also pop classics from his homeland and, for the first time, new/own compositions. His shows guarantee pure Italian joie de vivre and great entertainment with a lot of heart and passion.

Thuringia Philharmonic meets… Giovanni Zarrella

Friedenstein Castle Gotha

The music of two megastars of the 80s and 90s in a symphonic setting. Experience the hits of Falco (“Der Kommissar”, “Rock me Amadeus”) and Tina Turner (“Simply the Best”, “Proud Mary”), sung by Axel Herrig and Edita Abdieski and played by the Thuringia Philharmonic Orchestra together with a large live band.

Falco meets Tina Turner – Symphonic Night

NILSENLIVE! THE CHILDREN'S PARTICIPATION CONCERT WITH GOOD BEATS AND FUNNY LYRICS HELPS NILSEN OVERCOME SOME STUMBLING BLOCKS AND HIS LYRICS TOUCH NOT ONLY CHILDREN BUT ALSO ADULTS. AT HIS PARTICIPATION CONCERT, SINGING ALONG AND DANCING ALONG ARE NOT ONLY ALLOWED BUT EXPRESSLY ENJOYED.

Nilsen – The children’s participation concert presented by Thuringia Philharmonic

Auch 2024 wird es zwei Konzerte unserer erfolgreichen „Thüringen Philharmonie trifft …“-Reihe geben. Und am 23. August 2024 erleben Sie ein wirklich außergewöhnliches musikalisches Highlight im Rahmen des Friedenstein Open Air 2024 in Gotha: Wir freuen uns auf Weltstar RONAN KEATING

Thüringen Philharmonie trifft …. Ronan Keating

There will also be two concerts in 2024 from our successful “Thuringia Philharmonic meets ...” series. And on August 23, 2024, you will experience a truly extraordinary musical highlight as part of the Friedenstein Open Air 2024 in Gotha: We are looking forward to world star RONAN KEATING!

Sold out! Thuringia Philharmonic meets… Ronan Keating

Puppet theatre with the Baroque Orchestra of the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach – Ekhof Festival 2024

EKHOF-FESTIVAL 2024 – The Servant of Two Master

Ekhof Theatre Gotha

Puppentheater mit dem Barockorchester der Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach - Ekhof-Festival 2024

Ekhof-Festival 2024: "Barock Impuls", Der Diener Zweier Herren

With “Sounds of Hollywood”, the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach takes up the widespread fascination for famous, epic film melodies in a multimedia spectacle and creates an atmospheric flair of Hollywood at Friedenstein Castle with famous soundtracks from legendary films and blockbusters.

Sounds Of Hollywood – Film Music Live

Philharmonic Unplugged Vol. 4 – Thomas Hahn & Band

Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach

Vespasianus that prompted the legendary lyricist Pietro Metastasio to choose this historical figure as the title character of an opera libretto. With "La Clemenza di Tito", the former "Poeta Cesareo" of the Viennese imperial court achieved a literary and theatrical coup that enjoyed great popularity, especially in aristocratic circles, as a "mirror for princes". The libretto was to become the basis of over 50 operas in the course of music history and inspired composers such as Antonio Caldara, Johann Adolph Hasse, Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to create new musical settings. Christoph Willibald Gluck, who made a name for himself in 1762 with his reform opera "Orfeo ed Euridice", had already devoted himself to this historical subject of Titus Vespasianus ten years earlier. What fascinated Gluck about Metastasio's work was the philosophical question of whether "good people" or "good rule" could even exist. Compositionally, "La clemenza di Tito" already shows some of the elements of Gluck's later "reform operas"; the virtuoso coloraturas and musical contrasts in the casting of the vocal parts are also impressive.

Ekhof Festival 2024: "Baroque Impuls" "La Clemenza Di Tito"

Experience the enchanting world of classical music with "Very Suite Vol. 2," a captivating concert presented by the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach. Under the expert musical direction and engaging moderation of Markus Huber, this performance delves into the rich history and evolution of the suite, one of the oldest instrumental forms. The concert will feature masterful works by Strauss, Debussy, and Gershwin, showcasing the suite's journey from its Baroque roots to its modern interpretations.

Originally, suites were collections of dance movements such as the Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue, which were popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. Over time, composers expanded the suite to include additional dances and character pieces like the Passacaille, Chaconne, Pavane, Gavotte, Bourrée, Rigaudon, and Menuett. In the Romantic and Modern eras, the suite evolved further, incorporating ballet dances and themes from operas into concert suites. In film music, suites often serve as a medley of the most beloved pieces from a soundtrack.

"Very Suite Vol. 2" promises a delightful auditory journey through these various forms and styles, offering a unique blend of historical and contemporary musical expressions. This concert is a testament to the enduring appeal and versatility of the suite, making it a must-hear for classical music enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Very Suite Vol. 2

Kulturhaus Gotha

Experience the grandeur of Baroque music at the Palas auf der Wartburg in Eisenach with the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach's Barock ImPuls series, featuring the esteemed Artist in Residence, Reinhold Friedrich. This event showcases a spectacular Trompetengala, highlighting the virtuosity and versatility of Friedrich, a renowned trumpeter celebrated for his mastery across all musical styles and eras. The program includes masterpieces by Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Georg Philipp Telemann, with a special focus on Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047.

This concerto is a brilliant display of instrumental competition, featuring solo parts for flute, oboe, violin, and trumpet. The trumpet part, in particular, is known for its demanding high register and fanfare-like motifs, creating an exhilarating auditory experience. The unique F major key adds to the intrigue, with some musicologists suggesting that Bach originally intended the trumpet part for the horn. The Brandenburg Concertos, dedicated to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg, are a testament to Bach's ingenuity and his ability to blend multiple solo instruments into a cohesive and dynamic performance.

The event is part of the 413th Wartburg Concert, realized in collaboration with Deutschlandfunk Kultur, promising an evening of exceptional musical artistry in a historic setting.

In The Palace At Wartburg Eisenach: "Baroque Impulse" With Artist In Residence Reinhold Friedrich

Wartburg

The Ekhof-Festival 2024 presents "Barock ImPuls," featuring the esteemed Artist in Residence, Reinhold Friedrich, alongside the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach. This event promises a grand celebration of Baroque music, highlighted by a spectacular trumpet gala. Renowned for his versatility and mastery across various musical styles, Reinhold Friedrich will lead the performance, showcasing his exceptional talent on the trumpet.

The program includes masterpieces by Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Georg Philipp Telemann. A standout piece is Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047, a composition that exemplifies the Baroque era's intricate and competitive musical dialogues. This concerto is particularly notable for its virtuosic demands on the solo trumpet, requiring the performer to navigate high registers with precision and flair. The interplay between the solo flute, oboe, violin, and trumpet creates a dynamic and engaging auditory experience, reflecting Bach's vision of concertizing as a spirited contest among instruments.

Reinhold Friedrich's deep admiration for this concerto is evident in his performance, bringing a profound understanding and reverence to the piece. The Baroque orchestra of the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach will accompany him, ensuring a rich and authentic rendition of these timeless works. This event is a testament to the enduring beauty and complexity of Baroque music, offering a captivating journey through some of the era's most celebrated compositions.

Ekhof-Festival 2024 presents "Barock ImPuls,"

The most performed opera in the German-speaking world, a complex masterpiece in its unusual blend of fairy tale and myth, Viennese popular theater and intellectual Masonic mystery – "The Magic Flute" continues to puzzle us to this day: Did Mozart and his librettist Emanuel Schikaneder switch the sides between the Queen of the Night and Sarastro in the middle of the work? Shouldn't we be cautious of the seemingly perfect world of the priests and their ideology that divides the world into good and evil?

Nevertheless, it is precisely the music that elevates the contradictions of the plot to a universal and real level. It doesn't denounce its characters but gives their conflicts an existential dimension. Thus, "The Magic Flute" is far more than just a musical fairy tale.

Prince Tamino is saved at the last moment from a gigantic snake by the three ladies of the Queen of the Night. They give him a portrait of the Queen's daughter, Pamina, whom he immediately falls in love with. Together with the eccentric and jovial bird catcher Papageno, he sets out on a journey to find his love, who – as he learns – is held captive by the Sun Priest Sarastro. To win the hearts of their beloved women, Tamino and Papageno must undergo difficult trials.

Experience "The Magic Flute" under the musical direction of Markus Huber, in an opulent and visually stunning production by Michael Vaccaro, featuring renowned soloists from the international opera scene!

Die Zauberflöte

Schloss Friedenstein

The clarinetist Helmut Eisel is considered a fascinating storyteller on the clarinet - someone who can make his instrument laugh and cry, sigh, cheer and lament. For many years he has devoted himself to the genre of Klezmer music: Klezmer - which comes from the Hebrew "kli - zemer" and means "vessel of song", "tool of music" or simply "musical instrument". A Klezmorim is therefore the artist who absorbs music in order to pass it on, to tell stories, to bring people together and thereby make them happy. No matter what culture or religion they belong to. In his "Rhapsody for an Unknown Klezmer", but also in atmospheric ballads and in catchy Freilachs and Sirbas, Helmut Eisel reflects Jewish history and life in which grief and exuberant joy of life are often only a blink of an eye apart. This raises the question: what role does music play as a means of communication between people? Can it build bridges, maybe even overcome borders and create friendships? Immerse yourself in fascinating, foreign musical worlds with the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach, let yourself be carried away and enchanted - and become Klezmorim yourself, taking the music out into the world! The youth concert is taking place in cooperation with the "ACHAVA Festival Thuringia".

Like A Phoenix From The Ashes – Klezmer Music Between Tradition And Joy Of Life

Gotha City Hall

Germany - a melting pot of cultures and religions for centuries! In the course of the turmoil of German history, where the darkness of the past has often wrestled with the light of the present, the sounds of memory still resonate in the most diverse forms and expressions. Among the artists who once shaped the cultural landscape, the names of Jewish composers rise up like gentle melodies in a stormy orchestra - their works and their biographies are in danger of being forgotten. And so it was above all the Jewish composers who were able to portray human existence in their multifaceted compositions, which tell of triumph and tragedy, of love and loss, of hope and despair. Their music is like a river that flows through the troubled waters of history and yet never loses its essence - a reflection of the soul. During the Nazi era in particular, artistic freedom was nipped in the bud and the sounds of Jewish composers had to give way - their music was defamed as "degenerate". Many Jewish composers were driven from their homeland, went into exile or died in concentration camps - leaving their music behind as silent witnesses to an immense tragedy. Despite the horror and destruction, the music of these brave artists survived like a tender seed rising from the rubble. In the post-war years and up to the present day, their music continues to resonate as a living legacy of a bygone era and a source of inspiration for future generations. This must be preserved. Composers such as Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Darius Milhaud and Erwin Schulhoff stand as symbols of human endurance and the unshakable belief in the power of art, even in the darkest hours. Their works remind us that music is more than just sound - it is a language that connects across borders, a bridge between past, present and future. In order to endure and come to terms with the repression, some Jewish composers used humor as a survival strategy, true to the motto "Joy in suffering". A special form of musical expression is Klezmer: Its roots go back to the music of the people of Israel in the time of the Old Testament, when instrumental music was used, among other things, to put priests into a kind of trance state. The "Klezmorim" were often traveling artists who played music at celebratory occasions such as weddings or at aristocratic festivals. Klezmer music is known for its lively and stirring melodies, which are often spiced with a pinch of humor and a melancholic undertone. The musicians often used improvisation to express their feelings and thoughts, and humor was an integral part of their performances.By using unusual harmonies, fast tempos and playful rhythms, Klezmer musicians were able to create an atmosphere of joy and laughter, even in the midst of difficult living conditions. One of the world's best Klezmer musicians is the clarinetist Helmut Eisel, who with his composition "Rhapsody for an Unknown Klezmer" commemorates the "Klezmorim" who were persecuted and murdered in the Holocaust and thus carries their traditional art into the future. 

B1 Klezmer. Tov! – Music for the world

1.SiKo Klezmer. Tov! – Music for the world

State Theatre Eisenach

A unique work with an idiosyncratic character - a work that focuses on one of the most important myths of ancient Greece: The "Medea" melodrama by the Bohemian composer and instrumental virtuoso Georg Anton Benda, who worked in the Gotha court orchestra under Frederick III of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, impresses with its immediate intensity of expression and the vivid representation of complex worlds of feelings and thoughts. No less a figure than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was fascinated by this "drama mixed with music" when he experienced it in person in Mannheim in 1778. "We attended two performances of Benda's Medea with great pleasure. Nothing has ever impressed me more! The combination of prose and music is extremely pleasing. Benda is one of my favorite composers." This is what the young Mozart wrote to his father Leopold immediately after the overwhelming performance. In the 18th century, the term “melodrama” was used to describe a form that was apparently avant-garde enough for the time to impress even the genius of the young Wolfgang: a play with musical accompaniment, but with recitations instead of singing.

Ekhof Festival 2024: “medea” Premiere – As Part Of: Golden Autumn

In the 1930s, large parts of Europe were dominated by totalitarian rulers: Mussolini in Italy, Horthy in Hungary, Franco in Spain, Hitler in Germany and "annexed" Austria - all of them suppressed any form of opposition and dissenting opinion. These strongly nationalistic regimes also found their equivalent on the other side of the political spectrum, namely in the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin. His vast empire was characterized by a relentless terror that knew no borders. Countless people - including many critical intellectuals and artists - fell victim to his regime. They acted in the shadow of his power - including the two composers Dmitri Shostakovich and Mieczysław Weinberg. In their music they combine not only masterful craftsmanship and artistic genius, but also the echo of their time, the suffering and the hope of an entire oppressed generation. As a Pole of Jewish descent, Weinberg's fate was almost hopeless - he had to flee from the Nazis, married into an influential Moscow family, but was repeatedly caught in the wheels of Stalin's terror. His works reflect the grief and resilience of his people, who were ravaged by the horror of the Holocaust. Weinberg's music interweaves the painful memories of loss and suffering with an unshakable human dignity that captivates and shakes the listener at the same time. Weinberg was artistically supported by his mentor Dmitri Shostakovich, which led to a lifelong friendship, a bond that - given a similar fate - could possibly be described as a soul mate. Shostakovich, whose biography was shaped by the terrible atrocities of the Stalin era, found a way to proclaim unspoken truths in his musical language. His symphonies are like cries of the soul, yearning for freedom and seeking justice in a world of repression. He dared to push the boundaries of what was permissible in his works, yet always found a way to convey his message of humanity and hope. The dialogue between Weinberg and Shostakovich reveals not only the horror of their lives, but also the infinitely profound power of art, which provides a spark of light even in the darkest hours of human destiny. 

A1 Weinberg and Shostakovich – In the shadow of power

Gotha Cultural Centre

In the 2024/25 season, the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach is dedicating two programs especially to the very youngest sound explorers. Together with their parents or grandparents, babies and toddlers can follow the musical events up close in the orchestra rehearsal room, which is equipped with crawling mats - and with almost unlimited legroom! The approximately 45-minute program is extremely varied with the music of an instrumental ensemble, singing songs together and little games. Stroller parking spaces and changing tables are provided. 

2x Concertino 9.30+11 am – A little night music – Concerts for the little ones

Anton Bruckner was the pious composer who could truly move mountains with his visionary and otherworldly works. Many of his symphonies and masses are unique works of art that were actually designed for a church space - because that was where he was at home: "If you want to build high towers, you have to spend a long time on the foundations. [...] Actually, I only managed to create what my friends now call "great" because from my youth I had awe of everything that was genuine and holy." Especially in his youth and in his years as cathedral organist in the Linz monastery of St. Florian, that same holy foundation formed the entire opus of Johann Sebastian Bach. For a long time he emulated him and tried to do him artistic justice. And he was probably able to do it, because Bruckner's organ playing was characterized by its technical finesse. He succeeded like no other in filling the Linz sanctuary with powerful waves of sound. As a composer, he was a great admirer of Bach's music and his organ works, with Bruckner's chorales in particular clearly showing the influence of the great master and conveying a moving fear of God that seems to be present in many of his compositions. In his Symphony No. 4 in particular, which is nicknamed the "Romantic", Bruckner follows Baruch de Spinoza's approach that God is omnipresent in nature. But what does "romantic" actually mean for Bruckner? The symphony is permeated by a deep longing for spiritual fulfillment and an admiration for nature. It takes you into a world of sound full of majestic beauty and sublime grandeur, which culminates in a powerful, almost galactic final chord, spanning the spectrum from the dreamy and naturalistic to the all-encompassingly transcendental. And although ETA Hoffmann's essay "Old and New Church Music" was referring to the composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the following quote could also have stood for Bruckner's "Fourth": "Love, the harmony of everything spiritual in nature, as promised to Christians, expresses itself in the chord, which therefore only came to life in Christianity, and so the chord, the harmony, becomes the image and expression of the spiritual community, of the union with the eternal, the ideal that reigns over us and yet includes us." 

A2 Bach and Bruckner – Echo for eternity

Anton Bruckner war jener fromme Komponist, der mit seinen visionären und weltentrückten Werken wahrlich Berge versetzen konnte. Bei vielen seiner Sinfonien und Messen handelt es sich um singuläre Kunstwerke, die eigentlich für einen Kirchenraum konzipiert waren – denn dort war er zu Hause: „Wer hohe Türme bauen will, muss lange beim Fundament verweilen. […] Eigentlich habe ich – was meine Freunde jetzt „groß“ nennen – nur fertiggebracht, weil ich von Jugend an Ehrfurcht gehabt habe vor allem Echten und Heiligen.“ Besonders in seiner Jugend und in seinen Jahren als Dom-Organist im Linzer Stift St. Florian bildete ebenjenes heilige Fundament das Gesamtopus Johann Sebastian Bachs. Lange eiferte er ihm nach und versuchte ihm künstlerisch gerecht zu werden. Er konnte es wohl auch, denn Bruckners Orgel-Spiel zeichnete sich durch seine technische Finesse aus. Es gelang ihm wie keinem Zweiten, die Linzer Weihestätte mit mächtigen Klangwellen zu füllen. Als Tonkünstler war er ein großer Bewunderer der Musik Bachs und seiner Orgelwerke, wobei insbesondere die Bruckner‘schen Choräle deutlich den Einfluss des großen Meisters zeigen und eine ergreifende Gottesfurcht vermitteln, die im Übrigen in vielen seiner Kompositionen präsent zu sein scheint. Vor allem in seiner Sinfonie Nr. 4, die den Beinamen „Romantische“ trägt, folgt Bruckner dem Ansatz Baruch de Spinozas, dass Gott in der Natur allgegenwärtig sei. Doch was heißt bei Bruckner eigentlich „romantisch“? Die Sinfonie ist durchdrungen von einer tiefen Sehnsucht nach spiritueller Erfüllung und einer Bewunderung für die Natur. Sie entführt in eine Klangwelt voller majestätischer Schönheit und erhabener Größe, die in einem kraftvollen, geradezu galaktischen Schlussakkord kulminiert und damit den Bogen vom Träumerischen und Naturalistischen bis hin zum allumfassend Transzendentalen spannt. Und obwohl in E.T.A. Hoffmanns Aufsatz „Alte und neue Kirchenmusik“ der Komponist Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina gemeint war, könnte das folgende Zitat auch für Bruckners „Vierte“ gestanden haben: „Die Liebe, der Einklang alles Geistigen in der Natur, wie er dem Christen verheißen, spricht sich aus im Akkord, der daher auch erst im Christentum zum Leben erwachte, und so wird der Akkord, die Harmonie, Bild und Ausdruck der Geistergemeinschaft, der Vereinigung mit dem Ewigen, dem Idealen, das über uns thront und doch uns einschließt.“ 

2.SiKo Bach und Bruckner – Echo für die Ewigkeit

Landestheater Eisenach

 Heroic sounds and heartfelt dramas – that is opera in its purest form! Immerse yourself in the realm of unearthly sounds and enjoy the unique sound magic when Giuseppe Verdi's passionate melodies mix with Richard Wagner's heroic musical epics. Victory, triumph and defeat, love, loss and death! These are the motifs that characterize the captivating plots of Verdi and Wagner's operas – be it in "Othello" or "Macbeth", be it in "Die Walküre" or "Rienzi". Experience a gala night full of passion, drama and heroism when the overtures and arias of these two legendary masters merge together on stage! Under the musical direction of our chief conductor Markus Huber and together with stars of the international opera scene, you can look forward to an exclusive and powerful gala evening! The opera gala takes place in cooperation with "Opera Classica Europa". 

B2 Verdi and Wagner – Grand Opera Gala

„paulus“

Margarethenkirche Gotha

In den ehrwürdigen Hallen der klassischen Musik strahlt der Komponist Pjotr Iljitsch Tschaikowski als ein unsterbliches Leuchtfeuer der Musikgeschichte. Seine Kompositionen sind mehr als bloße Noten; sie sind die musikalische Manifestation von Emotionen, Leidenschaften und Sehnsüchten. In seinen Opern und Sinfonien finden sich die Tragödien und Triumphe des menschlichen Lebens, ausgeformt in populären romantischen Klangfarben mit russischem Kolorit. Doch hinter den majestätischen Akkorden und den herzzerreißenden Harmonien liegt ein tiefer philosophischer Kern, der Tschaikowskis Gesamtopus wahrlich zeitlos erscheinen lässt. Er war ein Meister der Dualität, ein Seelenforscher inmitten von Noten und Tönen: In seiner Musik vereinen sich Licht und Dunkelheit, Freude und Schmerz, Hoffnung und Verzweiflung zu einem allumfassenden Konstrukt menschlicher Erfahrung. Tschaikowskis Leben selbst war gezeichnet von inneren Kämpfen und äußeren Widersprüchen: Zwischen der äußeren Welt der Konventionen und der inneren Welt der Leidenschaften wandelte er stets auf der Suche nach Harmonie in einer Welt voller Dissonanz. Die Musik war sein Zufluchtsort, sein Heiligtum, in dem er die Rätsel des Lebens zu enthüllen versuchte. Mit seinen Klangvorstellungen vermag es Tschaikowski bis heute die Herzen der Menschen zu berühren. Er erinnert uns daran, dass Schönheit und Schmerz, Freude und Trauer untrennbar miteinander verbunden sind. In seiner Musik erkennen wir die Fragilität, die Stärke und das Pathos des menschlichen Geistes, das Ringen um Bedeutung in einer Welt voller Gegensätze und Widersprüche. Das Rätsel „Mensch“ erfährt bei Tschaikowski eine neue Beleuchtung. 1893 bringt er die „Sinfonie Nr. 6“ zur Uraufführung, die er selbst als „Programmsinfonie“ bezeichnete – und zwar mit einem geheimen Programm: „Es ist von der Art, dass es für alle ein Rätsel bleiben wird! Und nicht selten habe ich, wenn ich herumstreifte und an der Symphonie arbeitete, sehr geweint.“ Mit der sog. „Pathétique“ veröffentlichte Tschaikowski sein letztes großes Werk. Um seinen plötzlichen Tod mit 53 Jahren ranken sich viele Gerüchte. Von Suizid über Vergiftung bis hin zu Verurteilung gibt es bis heute viele Theorien. In der Sinfonie erklingt Musik, die von Tod und Vergänglichkeit erzählt und so sind auch die Sätze suggestiv folgendermaßen zu überschreiben: Zuversicht und Tatendrang – Liebe – Enttäuschung – Tod und Verzweiflung. Tschaikowskis Erbe ist mehr als eine Sammlung von Meisterwerken; es ist eine Quelle der Inspiration und Erleuchtung für alle, die sich auf die Reise der Selbstentdeckung begeben. Er erinnert uns daran, dass die wahre Schönheit in der Tiefe der menschlichen Erfahrung liegt, jenseits von oberflächlichen Urteilen und flüchtigen Erscheinungen. Seine Musik ist Wahrhaftigkeit pur! 

3.SiKo Tschaikowski. Pur!

In the venerable halls of classical music, the composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky shines as an immortal beacon of music history. His compositions are more than just notes; they are the musical manifestation of emotions, passions and longings. His operas and symphonies contain the tragedies and triumphs of human life, shaped in popular romantic tones with Russian flavor. But behind the majestic chords and heart-rending harmonies lies a deep philosophical core that makes Tchaikovsky's entire opus seem truly timeless. He was a master of duality, a researcher of the soul amidst notes and tones: in his music, light and darkness, joy and pain, hope and despair unite to form an all-encompassing construct of human experience. Tchaikovsky's life itself was marked by inner struggles and external contradictions: between the external world of conventions and the internal world of passions, he constantly moved in search of harmony in a world full of dissonance. Music was his refuge, his sanctuary in which he tried to unveil the mysteries of life. To this day, Tchaikovsky's ideas about sound still touch people's hearts. He reminds us that beauty and pain, joy and sorrow are inseparably linked. In his music we recognize the fragility, strength and pathos of the human spirit, the struggle for meaning in a world full of opposites and contradictions. Tchaikovsky sheds new light on the enigma of "man." In 1893 he premiered his "Symphony No. 6," which he himself described as a "program symphony" - with a secret program: "It is of such a nature that it will remain a mystery to everyone! And I often cried a lot when I was wandering around and working on the symphony.” With the so-called “Pathétique”, Tchaikovsky published his last great work. There are many rumors surrounding his sudden death at the age of 53. There are still many theories to this day, from suicide to poisoning to conviction. The symphony contains music that speaks of death and transience, and the movements can be suggestively titled as follows: Confidence and zest for action – love – disappointment – ​​death and despair. Tchaikovsky's legacy is more than a collection of masterpieces; it is a source of inspiration and enlightenment for all those who embark on a journey of self-discovery. He reminds us that true beauty lies in the depths of human experience, beyond superficial judgments and fleeting appearances. His music is pure truth! 

A3 Tchaikovsky. Pure!

musical (surprise) moments at the same time! The audience can experience all of this on our Christmas world tour of famous symphonic and pop music in the Gotha Cultural Centre. As a continuation of the “Pop meets Classic” concerts, the Thuringia Philharmonic Orchestra, together with singer Thomas Hahn, his outstanding live band and singer Edita Abdieski, will be getting in the mood for the most wonderful time of the year in the second half of this “Christmas Edition”, combining pop and classical music into a philharmonic whole.

S(w)inging Christmas“ – A Musical Christmas Journey Around The World

Weihnachten ist als Fest der Familie eine ganz besondere Zeit. Mit dem Wunsch nach Fröhlichkeit und Besinnlichkeit kommen Familien, Verwandte und Freunde zusammen. Man beschenkt sich nicht nur mit Präsenten, sondern auch mit Aufmerksamkeit – mit Zeit füreinander. Zu den vielen Bräuchen zur Advents- und Weihnachtszeit gehört vor allem auch Musik. Hören, Genießen, Spielen, Singen: Weihnachtsmusik sorgt generationenübergreifend für eine entspannte Atmosphäre und positive Emotionen.

Thüringer Weihnachtssingen im Steigerwaldstadion mit der Thüringen Philharmonie GTH-EA

Steigerwaldstadion

The short film "The Snowman", based on the children's book of the same name by Raymond Briggs, is one of the British Christmas classics par excellence - a not insignificant part of the magical effect of this film is the music by Howard Blake, which, with the exception of a spoken introduction, takes over the entire acoustic design of the film. Blake composed a light-footed orchestral score, which, in addition to tender and voluptuous sounds, is also enriched with bossa nova sounds, a gigue of the dancing snowmen and a powerful march for the massive snowman. The little boy James builds a snowman that comes to life at night. Together with James, the snowman first explores the parents' house of its creator, before a subsequent joyride on a motorbike culminates in a flight over the city with hundreds of snowmen. After landing safely, the snowman leads James into a forest that turns out to be the home of Santa Claus. After a lavish party with the snowmen, James receives his present: a scarf. As the morning is already dawning, the snowman and his little friend head back home. James says goodbye to his big friend and slips into bed. During the day, the snowman has melted, but the scarf remains as a reminder of this eventful journey for the boy. 

THE SNOWMAN A musical winter fairytale Youth Concert

For several generations, the Czech cult film “Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella” from 1973 is as much a part of Christmas as candlelight and the scent of fresh pine needles. This year, too, a special wish will come true for the holidays, because the fairy tale can be experienced again in brilliant cinema format. Also included: the music of Karel Svoboda, played live by the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach and synchronized scene by scene with the romantic and funny adventures on the big screen

THREE HAZELNUTS FOR CINDERELLA Family Concert

»telemandolin«

St George's Church

Christmas Oratorio

The Christmas concert of the Thuringia Philharmonic in December is a true classic of our concert program and is already a philharmonic tradition - for many years it has exuded a festive atmosphere and puts people in the mood for the upcoming Christmas. In addition to classical festive music, this year's surprise program also promises rousing and lively Christmas rhythms. As a special guest, we welcome our artist in residence Roman Patkoló on solo double bass. We cordially invite you to experience an enjoyable concert in a Christmas atmosphere with us and our outstanding soloists and let yourself be enchanted! 

B3 Philharmonic Christmas

SoKo Philharmonic Christmas

“rejoice, Rejoice” – Christmas Oratorio

THE SNOWMAN A musical winter fairytale family concert

Into the new year with music and the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach! Our varied festival concert program will put you in the mood for the new year 2025 in a happy, cheerful and exhilarating way. Our guests are the soprano Jeannette Wernecke and the baritone Hans Gröning. Look forward to a philharmonic fireworks display under the musical direction of our first guest conductor Charles Olivieri-Munroe! 

SoKo Festive New Year's Concert

 Into the new year with music and the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach! Our varied festival concert program will put you in the mood for the new year 2025 in a happy, cheerful and exhilarating way. Our guests are the soprano Jeannette Wernecke and the baritone Hans Gröning. Look forward to a philharmonic fireworks display under the musical direction of our first guest conductor Charles Olivieri-Munroe! 

B4 Festive New Year’s Concert

What would classical music be without opera? What would opera be without beautiful voices? In the Grand Opera Gala, the Thuringia Philharmonic combines excellent singers from the international opera scene with the lush orchestral sound and music from true classics of the musical theater repertoire - from Verdi's "La traviata" and Puccini's "La bohème" to Strauss' "Die Fledermaus" and Lehár's "The Merry Widow". Under the musical direction of our chief conductor Markus Huber, you can look forward to an exclusive and powerful gala evening!

SoKo Grand Opera and Operetta Gala

Cinderella, Cenerentola or Cendrillon - the story of a poor girl who is oppressed by her evil stepmother and eke out a meager existence in dirt and ashes. Despite her difficult circumstances, she remains friendly, modest and gentle. With the help of a good fairy, she takes part in a royal ball where she wins the heart of the prince. However, she has to flee before midnight and leave her glass slipper behind. With this "token of love", the prince sets off to find his true love. Whether in the Grimm's "Cinderella" version, Perrault's " Cendrillon " or the English-speaking "Cinderella" - the moving and imaginative motifs of the fairy tale were discovered as ballet material 200 years ago and have been choreographed many times since then. The most successful and famous musical setting of this story was the premiere of "Cinderella" by Sergei Prokofiev at the Moscow Bolshoi Theater in 1945, choreographed by Rostislav Sakharov. Prokofiev's humorous and at the same time quirky, rhythmically pointed musical language perfectly captures the fairy-tale nature of the literary original and offers the choreographer unlimited possibilities for performance and interpretation. It is probably Prokofiev's most lively ballet, although the "romantic love of Cinderella and the Prince" may have been the focus of the composition for him. Look forward to a romantic ballet - enjoyment for all ages! The performances are held in cooperation with the ballet of the Eisenach State Theater. 

CINDERELLA Ballet Family Performance

To be successful in art, you need sponsors. Even today's most famous composers would probably not have been driven to peak performance if a convoyeur in the background had not opened the doors to fame. "There is always a secret alliance of kindred spirits. Close the circle more tightly, you who belong together, so that the truth of art may shine ever more clearly [...]." This sentence by Robert Schumann in the "Neue Zeitschrift für Musik" in 1853 marked the beginning of the rapid career of the then virtually unknown Johannes Brahms. But this was by no means a guarantee of a breakthrough - Brahms' first piano concerto had been a complete failure at the age of 25. The audience expected above all effective circus acts and pianistic bravura. Instead, Brahms offered a concert in the strict spirit of the symphonic music. Brahms remained absolutely true to himself in his Piano Concerto No. 2, but this time the audience was euphoric and delighted, because he succeeded in merging symphonic form with the virtuoso character of a concert. For the first time in music history, the solo voice and orchestra were no longer competing in the traditional concerto sense, but complemented each other to form a symphonic whole. The Viennese critic Eduard Hanslick even spoke of a "symphony with obbligato piano", thereby expressing the innovative value of the composition. Brahms probably did not forget his mentor's words until the end of his life, because he himself formed an alliance with a kindred spirit, namely Antonín Dvořák. After the latter had applied for the "Austrian State Prize for Music" scholarship, Brahms ensured that Dvořák was awarded the contract. Brahms introduced the young composer to his own music publisher "Simrock", which published some of his compositions. This was the beginning of a lifelong friendship and a lively artistic exchange. Dvořák's compositional style was massively influenced by Brahms' musical language, but he cannot be labelled as an epigone of Brahms. He was certainly able to preserve his own musical language, which was largely based on Bohemian folklore. This culminated in his "Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88", which is still very popular today, especially for its relaxed and cheerful optimism. 

A4 Brahms and Dvořák – alliance of kindred spirits

4.SiKo Brahms and Dvořák – alliance of kindred spirits

Like few others, the composer Bedřich Smetana was able
to translate the natural images of his Czech homeland into music. "The Vltava" is the
most popular part of his cycle "My Fatherland" [Má vlast], which is why it
is often referred to as the "unofficial national anthem" of the Czech Republic.
With a suitcase full of ideas and Smetana's music in his ears, narrator
Patrick Rohbeck takes young and old on a journey along the Vltava River:
from the bubbling springs in the Bohemian Forest to the golden city of Prague,

The Vltava – In the rush of waves through the Czech Republic

Brilliant Bohemia! A country with a rich musical tradition that has produced many excellent composers throughout history who have left their mark on the world of classical music. Some of the greatest masterpieces in music history were created here, where the folk melodies of past centuries seem to be omnipresent to this day - the harmonies of past eras still echo in the picturesque valleys and hills of Bohemia. When you think of Bohemia, this region of the Czech Republic is undoubtedly associated with composers such as Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák; their works reflect the Bohemian landscape as if they were in harmony with the rivers, forests and mountains themselves. Their music is like a walk through the lush meadows, like a dance along the banks of the Vltava, and if you listen carefully, you can even hear whispers of the legends hidden in ancient walls. Bedřich Smetana's sound painting "Má vlast" [My Fatherland] can truly be seen as a national epic of Bohemia. The cycle was created at a time when national consciousness was developing: after the first performances, "Má vlast" was already perceived as a political statement, as a rebellion against what the majority of the Czech population saw as Austrian foreign rule. But despite all the political interpretations, one thing is impressive about these symphonic poems: their pure, voluptuous aesthetics. They are a gift to humanity! The Budweis composer Sylvie Bodorová is one of the most important contemporary composers of her generation. She has extensive knowledge of 20th century composition techniques, is intensively involved with the so-called "Polish School" and fuses various Slavic-Russian sound elements with Balkan rhythms in her works - her current compositional style can be assigned primarily to neo-expressionism, in which electronic elements are also used - as in her opera "Quo vadis", which will premiere in 2023 and in which sound approaches by Shostakovich, Janáček and Khachaturian shine through. "I want to give my listeners beauty and let them share in the wonders of creation. Music is the greatest gift - it is always with us when we need it." Promoting exceptional instrumentalists has always been a matter close to Sylvie Bodorová's heart; She dedicates her double bass concerto “Il trionfo del Basso” to the double bass virtuoso Roman Patkoló, who will premiere this work in Gotha and Eisenach. 

A5 Bodorová and Smetana – Triumph of Sound

Brilliant Bohemia! A country with a rich musical tradition that has produced many excellent composers throughout history who have left their mark on the world of classical music. Some of the greatest masterpieces in music history were created here, where the folk melodies of past centuries seem to be omnipresent to this day - the harmonies of past eras still echo in the picturesque valleys and hills of Bohemia. When you think of Bohemia, this region of the Czech Republic is undoubtedly associated with composers such as Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák; their works reflect the Bohemian landscape as if they were in harmony with the rivers, forests and mountains themselves. Their music is like a walk through the lush meadows, like a dance along the banks of the Vltava, and if you listen carefully, you can even hear whispers of the legends hidden in ancient walls. Bedřich Smetana's sound painting "Má vlast" [My Fatherland] can truly be seen as a national epic of Bohemia. The cycle was created at a time when national consciousness was developing: after the first performances, "Má vlast" was already perceived as a political statement, as a rebellion against what the majority of the Czech population saw as Austrian foreign rule. But despite all the political interpretations, one thing is impressive about these symphonic poems: their pure, voluptuous aesthetics. They are a gift to humanity! The Budweis composer Sylvie Bodorová is one of the most important contemporary composers of her generation. She has extensive knowledge of 20th century composition techniques, is intensively involved with the so-called "Polish School" and fuses various Slavic-Russian sound elements with Balkan rhythms in her works - her current compositional style can be assigned primarily to neo-expressionism, in which electronic elements are also used - as in her opera "Quo vadis", which will premiere in 2023 and in which sound approaches by Shostakovich, Janáček and Khachaturian shine through. "I want to give my listeners beauty and let them share in the wonders of creation. Music is the greatest gift - it is always with us when we need it." Promoting exceptional instrumentalists has always been a matter close to Sylvie Bodorová's heart; She dedicates her double bass concerto “Il trionfo del Basso” to the double bass virtuoso Roman Patkoló, who will premiere this work in Gotha and Eisenach. 


5.SiKo Bodorová and Smetana – Triumph of Sound

 Dass klassische Musik nicht immer ernst, steif und trocken ist, sondern auch sehr humorvoll, hintersinnig und lustig (vielleicht sogar ein bisschen verrückt) sein kann, zeigt die Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach in ihrem traditionellen Rosenmontagskonzert. Beschwingt von bester Faschingslaune und musikalisch beflügelt, entführen wir Sie in die Filmmusik Hollywoods. Als Solisten begrüßen wir das Percussion-Duo „Double Drums“: Die beiden Multi-Percussionisten Philipp Jungk und Alex Glöggler zaubern mit Trommeln, Glockenspiel und Marimba ein musikalisches Gesamtkunstwerk und packen bekannte Melodien in neues Gewand! Freuen Sie sich auf ein unterhaltsames, kurzweiliges und vor allem unbeschwert humoristisches Konzertprogramm, das Sie mit einem klanglichen Augenzwinkern überraschen wird! 

Hollywood meets Double Drums – Jugendvorstellung

B5 Hollywood meets Double Drums | Faschingskonzert

SoKo Hollywood meets Double Drums | Rosenmontagskonzert 19.31 Uhr

 „Peter und der Wolf“? – Ist das nicht der Großvater mit dem Fagott? Peter und sein Großvater leben, umgeben von ihren tierischen Freundinnen und Freunden, mitten im Wald. Als Peter eines Tages das Gartentor offenstehen lässt und auf die Lichtung tritt, warnt der Großvater ihn eindringlich vor einem großen Wolf, der im Wald angeblich sein Unwesen treibt. Furchtlos entgegnet Peter: Ich habe keine Angst! In der Zwischenzeit haben sich auch einige seiner tierischen Freunde durch das Tor gewagt: Die Ente nimmt ein Bad im Teich, der kleine Vogel flattert fidel und die Katze wandert auf sanften Pfoten umher. Doch als niemand mehr Acht gibt, schleicht sich auch ein großer grauer Wolf an den Teich heran… Wie wird die Geschichte enden? Der berühmte Klassiker von Sergei Prokofjew ist Märchen, Abenteuer und Instrumentenkunde zugleich. Klangmalerisch vertont er die Geschichte vom mutigen Peter, der mit seinen Freunden in die Fänge des Wolfes gerät. Jedem der tierischen Abenteurer ist eine einzigartige Instrumentation und Melodie zugeordnet, die ihn durch das ganze Stück hinweg begleiten und ihre Charaktere in Musik übertragen. Die Musik Sergei Prokofjews steckt voller musikalischer Überraschungen, die wir gemeinsam mit Erzähler Patrick Rohbeck entdecken werden! 

PETER UND DER WOLF Familienkonzert

Sehnsucht – sie ist ein unersättliches Ver – langen. Sie schlummert in der Seele und ist besonders in der Musik ein Topos von unermesslicher Tiefe und Komplexität. Die menschliche Existenz ist von ihr durchdrungen und bedingt, von der Begierde gestillt zu werden. Bei vielen Komponisten verbirgt sich eine innerliche Sehnsucht, der Wunsch, Emotionen Ausdruck zu verleihen und dadurch Geltung zu gewinnen. Ihre Vertonungen werden sozusagen zu einem Spiegel tiefster Wünsche, zu einer Brücke zwischen dem Unsagbaren und dem Ausdrücklichen. Doch was ist es, das Komponisten wie Richard Wagner antreibt, diese Sehnsucht in Klänge zu verwandeln? Viel – leicht ist es die menschliche Natur selbst, die sich nach dem Transzendenten sehnt, nach etwas, das jenseits der greifbaren Realität liegt. Vielleicht ist es die Suche nach Schönheit, nach Wahrheit, nach dem Gefühl der Verbundenheit mit dem Universum. Bei den „Wesendonck-Liedern“ beispielsweise handelt es sich um fünf weltentrückte Vertonungen der Gedichte von Mathilde Wesendonck, der Muse Richard Wagners. Die Lieder inspirierten ihn zu seiner Oper „Tristan und Isolde“, in der die gegenseitige Sehnsucht zweier Liebenden, die im Leben nicht vereint sein können, im Wahn und (Liebes-)Tod endet. Die Sehnsucht, die der Komponist Hans Rott in seiner Sinfonie Nr. 1 E-Dur in Töne fasste, war von ganz anderer Art: Es war sein innigster Wunsch, als Komponist von seinen Zeitgenossen anerkannt zu werden. Dabei musste er herbe persönliche Rückschläge einstecken, denn als Lieblingsschüler Anton Bruckners wurde er von dessen Antipoden Johannes Brahms regelmäßig negativ beurteilt. Als Rott nach Mulhouse ins Elsass reiste, um dort eine Stelle als Chorleiter anzutreten, brach sich Rotts schwere psychische Erkrankung Bahn – er litt an „halluzinatorischem Irrsinn und Verfolgungswahn“. Auf der Bahnreise bedrohte er einen Mitreisenden, der sich eine Zigarre anzünden wollte, mit einem Revolver. Rott war der Überzeugung, dass Brahms den Zug mit Dynamit habe befüllen lassen, um ihn endgültig in den Tod zu schicken. Den Rest seines Lebens verbrachte Rott darauf – hin in einer Irrenanstalt, in der er zahlreich komponierte, seine Werke aber wieder vernichtete. Er starb 25-jährig – sein sehnlichster Wunsch sollte nicht in Erfüllung gehen … 

A6 Wagner und Rott – Sehnsucht

Stadthalle Gotha

Longing is an insatiable desire. It lies dormant in the soul and, especially in music, is a theme of immeasurable depth and complexity. Human existence is permeated by it and is conditioned by the desire to be satisfied. Many composers harbor an inner longing, the wish to express emotions and thereby gain recognition. Their musical settings become, so to speak, a mirror of deepest desires, a bridge between the unsayable and the expressible. But what is it that drives composers like Richard Wagner to transform this longing into sounds? Perhaps it is human nature itself that longs for the transcendent, for something that lies beyond tangible reality. Perhaps it is the search for beauty, for truth, for the feeling of connection with the universe. The “Wesendonck Lieder”, for example, are five otherworldly settings of poems by Mathilde Wesendonck, Richard Wagner’s muse. The songs inspired his opera “Tristan and Isolde”, in which the mutual longing of two lovers who cannot be united in life ends in madness and (love) death. The longing that the composer Hans Rott put into music in his Symphony No. 1 in E major was of a completely different kind: it was his deepest wish to be recognised as a composer by his contemporaries. In doing so, he had to endure bitter personal setbacks, because as Anton Bruckner’s favourite student, he was regularly judged negatively by his antipode Johannes Brahms. When Rott travelled to Mulhouse in Alsace to take up a position as choirmaster, Rott’s serious mental illness broke out – he suffered from “hallucinatory insanity and paranoia”. On the train journey, he threatened a fellow passenger who wanted to light a cigar with a revolver. Rott was convinced that Brahms had filled the train with dynamite in order to send him to his final death. Rott spent the rest of his life in an insane asylum, where he composed a lot but destroyed his works. He died at the age of 25 - his greatest wish was not to come true... 

6.SiKo Wagner and Rott – Longing

The musical relationship between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Nepomuk Hummel can be described as a kind of musical brotherhood, even though there was an age difference of around 22 years between the two. Mutual admiration and appreciation characterized the relationship, for Mozart recognized early on the extraordinary talent of the 8-year-old Hummel. Mozart became aware of his future pupil through his father, who was employed as conductor at the “Theater auf der Wieden” under Emanuel Schikaneder. Mozart took the boy into his Viennese apartment and taught him for two years. Afterwards, Hummel senior took the boy on extensive concert tours - exactly following Leopold Mozart's example. Hummel was celebrated especially in London and was looked after by Franz Joseph Haydn. Five years with numerous performances and lessons were to pass before Hummel settled back in Vienna. By this time, however, Mozart had already died. Hummel temporarily benefited from the knowledge of Johann Georg Albrechtsberger; He then perfected his craft under Mozart's antipode Antonio Salieri, the legendary grandmaster of late Baroque Italian opera. In the second half of his life, Salieri concentrated on teaching work in particular - his students included Ludwig van Beethoven, Carl Czerny and Franz Liszt. With his more than 40 operas, Salieri, who came from the province of Veneto, was one of the most successful composers of his generation. The dramma per musica "Armida", the tragédie lyrique "Les Danaïdes", the dramma giocoso "La scuola de' gelosi" and the commedia per musica "La fiera di Venezia" are still well known today. The latter in particular impresses with its charming Venetian local colour, which Salieri illustrates with extremely effective music on stage, as can be heard in the rousing overture. Even during his time in Vienna as imperial chamber composer and court conductor, he always remained connected to his Venetian homeland. In 1778/79, Salieri composed a symphony that his publisher gave the nickname "Veneziana" - named after the city in which some of the music was premiered. Salieri took some of the harmonies from his overtures to "La scuola de' gelosi" and "La partenza inaspettata". Both operas were written during the three years that Salieri spent in Rome, Venice and Milan. The complete reconstruction of this chamber symphony only took place in Vienna in the 1980s; because the parts were stored there in the archives of the Society of Friends of Music – on the original cover one could read: “Sinfonia n. XIX del Signor Antonio Salieri – Maestro di musica all'attual servizio de SM l'Augustissimo Imperatore – Eseguita in Venezia.” 

A7 Salieri, Mozart and Hummel – From Vienna to Venice

„friede Sei Ihr Erst Geläute“

“peace Be Her First Ringing”

2x Concertino 9.30+11 am – Spring Awakening – Concerts for the little ones

„emmaus“

The orchestral fantasy "The Ox on the Roof" [Le bœuf sur le toit] by the French composer Darius Milhaud owes its title to a popular Brazilian song that he discovered on a trip to South America. But perhaps the title was also inspired by a Parisian urban legend about a man who lived on the top floor of an apartment building and had a pet calf that quickly and fatally turned into a full-grown ox. He actually wanted to use the piece as accompanying music for a Chaplin film, but he decided to compose it as a ballet pantomime. It is particularly impressive as a separate orchestral piece with its tangos, sambas and other exotic rhythms that give the piece its lightness and Brazilian flair. The music is a cheerful hustle and bustle that combines Latin American swing with quirky moments of "polytonality" in which more than one key can be heard at the same time. An exciting composition to discover together with our narrator Patrick Rohbeck! 

THE OX ON THE ROOF Family Concert

The orchestral fantasy "The Ox on the Roof" [Le bœuf sur le toit] by the French composer Darius Milhaud owes its title to a popular Brazilian song that he discovered on a trip to South America. But perhaps the title was also inspired by a Parisian urban legend about a man who lived on the top floor of an apartment building and had a pet calf that quickly and fatally turned into a full-grown ox. He actually wanted to use the piece as accompanying music for a Chaplin film, but he decided to compose it as a ballet pantomime. It is particularly impressive as a separate orchestral piece with its tangos, sambas and other exotic rhythms that give the piece its lightness and Brazilian flair. The music is a cheerful hustle and bustle that combines Latin American swing with quirky moments of "polytonality" in which more than one key can be heard at the same time. An exciting composition to discover together with our narrator Patrick Rohbeck! 


THE OX ON THE ROOF Youth Concert

From 1708 to 1712, Georg Philipp Telemann initially expressed his art as concertmaster in the princely “Cammer-Music” of Eisenach, before soon afterwards developing his work as court conductor and “secretary”. Entrusted with the establishment of a court chapel in the residence of Johann Wilhelm of Saxony-Eisenach, he succeeded in bringing a small but extremely virtuoso ensemble to fruition. Telemann's places of activity included the Georgenkirche in Eisenach and Wilhelmsthal Castle, where he premiered over 60 cantatas, serenades and church music. On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of his death in 2017, the mandolinist Alon Sariel developed a concert program entitled “Telemandolin” – as a kind of homage to this exceptional composer. The mandolin is an instrument of delicate elegance and in a way represents the echo of the Baroque era; it is an embodiment of melancholy and the epitome of the splendor of past centuries. The mandolin played an important role as part of the basso continuo - but Telemann did not use it as a solo instrument. The arrangements include a French overture, an Italian concerto, a chamber partita and a solo fantasy - Alon Sariel thus combines a wide variety of styles, retaining the baroque character of the compositions and at the same time expanding Telemann's almost incomprehensible sound cosmos. 

BAROQUE IMPULS – With Alon Sariel »TELEMANDOLIN«

Wilhelmsthal Castle

Che bella panorama! The Italian landscape and culture have had a fascinating effect on composers from all over the world for centuries. The majestic mountains, the picturesque coastlines, the lush vineyards and idyllic villages reflect an aura of beauty and romantic flair. This scenic diversity and aesthetics have inspired composers such as Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Wagner, Liszt, Berlioz and Tchaikovsky to capture their emotions and thoughts in musical masterpieces. Italy became a place of longing for many composers, who combined their music with the romantic landscape and spirited lifestyle of Italy. What is less well known, however, is that Richard Strauss also travelled to Italy in his early phase as a composer and wrote a symphonic poem "From Italy" op. 16, his first work of programme music: "I never really believed in inspiration from natural beauty, but I was taught otherwise in the Roman ruins, where ideas just flew." Under the influence of Gioacchino Rossini, whose operas "Tancredi", "La gazza ladra" and "L'italiana in Algeri" were very popular in Vienna, Schubert composed an "Overture in the Italian Style" for orchestra (D 591) in November 1817, which was premiered in the "Zum Römischen Kaiser" inn. For the first time, Schubert experienced widespread attention and recognition from the feared Viennese music critics with this new, border-crossing style of composition, which was new for Austria. In modern music, however, it is really difficult for composers and, above all, for those who cross genre boundaries - there is often scepticism towards all those who do not only uphold the noble grandeur of music, but have earned their merits through film music, for example. The Italian Nino Rota is an example of this: he became famous through his more than 150 film scores, for example for "La dolce vita", "Death on the Nile", "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "8 ½" by Federico Fellini, "The Leopard" by Luchino Visconti and "The Godfather" by Francis Ford Coppola. Rota himself, however, saw himself as a classical composer who also wrote film music. The "Divertimento concertante" is one of the most demanding works in the double bass concert literature and demands virtuoso technical skills from the soloist. Rota skilfully and humorously stages the double bass and alternates between unexpected surprise tones, a burlesque march and a whirling “bouncer” – a musical adventure for all the senses! 

A8 Schubert, Rota and Strauss – Bella Italia!

7.SiKo Schubert, Rota and Strauss – Bella Italia!

Roman Patkoló & Ranga Schirmer Gipfeltreffen der Artists in Residence

Georgen Church Eisenach

"The Triadic Ballet" by Oskar Schlemmer - an epochal masterpiece of the "Golden Twenties"! In many parts of the western world, the economy was experiencing strong growth and a cultural heyday. It was a period of abundance, economic boom and technological progress: automobiles, railways, floating overseas colossi made the world appear increasingly mechanical and "dehumanized". Contemporaries were forced to ask themselves the question: in what form or style could a ballet be designed that critically allegorizes this theme of booming modernity? The dancers Albert Burger and Elsa Hötzel - both soloists at the Royal Court Opera in Stuttgart - discussed their views and thoughts on this with the painter and stage designer Oskar Schlemmer, the pioneer of so-called "classical modernism". His avant-garde intention was to unite technology and art, man and civilization, and body and mind in his work. As a master at the State Bauhaus in Weimar, he initially headed the wall painting classes and workshops, and later the Bauhaus stage, which he significantly influenced. The result of the artistic compilation by Burger, Hötzel and Schlemmer was the so-called "Triadic Ballet", an experimental ballet méchanique of shapes, colors and movement. Schlemmer saw his "Triadic Ballet" as an artistic reaction to a world of machines. The name of the ballet is derived from the Greek word "trias" [τριάς] and illustrates the interaction of three concepts as a whole. In his design, Schlemmer concentrated on the basic shapes of sphere, circle and cuboid, as well as the three primary colors red, yellow and blue. To underline the dominance of the "machine world", the dancers' choreography was supposed to appear "mechanical"; ultimately, he envisioned the realization of the ballet completely without human involvement and he therefore favored mechanical puppets. As part of the Ekhof Festival 2025, a version of the "Triadic Ballet" will be performed as a marionette theater - a form that Oskar Schlemmer himself once planned. The legendary eighteen costumed figurines were constructed as string marionettes by the puppet designers Marianne and Kurt Erbe. In Christian Fuchs' production, they will be presented in the original colors from the Bauhaus era. They will be accompanied musically by star pianist Ragna Schirmer, who will virtuosically interpret the suite of piano pieces planned by Oskar Schlemmer. Music by Georg Friedrich Händel, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Marco Enrico Bossi and Claude Debussy will be played. Ragna Schirmer will play on a grand piano from 1856 from the "Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik" in Leipzig. 

Ragna Schirmer & “the Triadic Ballet”

Franz Liszt – as a sound magician, he opens the gates to a transcendental world in which the soul can wander through landscapes. In Liszt's creations, the search for the absolute, a striving for divine harmony that exceeds human experience, becomes apparent. His music is a reflection of life itself, with all its ups and downs, its dreams and tragedies. Through the keyboard of his compositions, Liszt expresses the entire spectrum of human emotions: from ecstatic joy to dark melancholy. The fascination and mystery of Franz Liszt manifests itself in his compositional as well as personal extravagance and excess. The aesthetic romanticism and the expressive revolt of his piano and orchestral works are fed by his (life) experiences as a citizen of the world, fantasist and visionary. As a 13-year-old he impressed with the one-act opera "Don Sanche ou Le château d'amour", in which he took up the then popular fashion of French compositions by Meyerbeer or those of Italian ones by Rossini. As a piano virtuoso he broke the boundaries of pianistic conventions and set new standards, especially with his piano and orchestral transcriptions. These paraphrases take up a large space in Liszt's oeuvre, as he not only transcribes them one-to-one, but transforms them into romantic sound paintings. His favourite composers were Richard Wagner, Frédéric Chopin and Ludwig van Beethoven. In the festival play "The Ruins of Athens" op. 113, Beethoven celebrates the resurrection of Hellenistic culture in a Greece occupied by the Ottomans - Liszt used this to create a fantasy based on motifs from Beethoven's original for piano and orchestra. The year 1847 marked a decisive turning point in Franz Liszt's life. Up until then he had travelled to every musically important corner of Europe as a piano virtuoso, but now he began a second career as a composer and created a new musical genre with the "symphonic poem". His twelfth, "The Ideals" - based on a poem by Schiller - can be seen as a kind of meditation on the nature of art and the role of the artist in society. Liszt saw himself as a mediator between the earthly and the divine, between the visible and the invisible. May one feel the longing for the infinite in Liszt's tones and recognise the power in music that connects us all.  

A9 Liszt, Chopin and Beethoven – Landscapes of the Soul

8.SiKo Liszt, Chopin and Beethoven – Landscapes of the Soul

"The Triadic Ballet" by Oskar Schlemmer - an epochal masterpiece of the "Golden Twenties"! In many parts of the western world, the economy was experiencing strong growth and a cultural heyday. It was a period of abundance, economic boom and technological progress: automobiles, railways, floating overseas colossi made the world appear increasingly mechanical and "dehumanized". Contemporaries were forced to ask themselves the question: in what form or style could a ballet be created that critically allegorizes this theme of booming modernity? The dancers Albert Burger and Elsa Hötzel - both soloists at the Royal Court Opera in Stuttgart - discussed their views and thoughts on this with the painter and stage designer Oskar Schlemmer, the pioneer of so-called "classical modernism". His avant-garde intention was to unite technology and art, man and civilization, and body and mind in his work. As a master at the State Bauhaus in Weimar, he initially headed the wall painting classes and workshops, and later the Bauhaus stage, which he significantly influenced. The result of the artistic compilation by Burger, Hötzel and Schlemmer was the so-called "Triadic Ballet", an experimental ballet méchanique of shapes, colors and movement. Schlemmer saw his "Triadic Ballet" as an artistic reaction to a world of machines. The name of the ballet is derived from the Greek word "trias" [τριάς] and illustrates the interaction of three concepts as a whole. In his design, Schlemmer concentrated on the basic shapes of sphere, circle and cuboid, as well as the three primary colors red, yellow and blue. To underline the dominance of the "machine world", the dancers' choreography was supposed to appear "mechanical"; ultimately, he envisioned the realization of the ballet completely without human involvement and he therefore favored mechanical puppets. As part of the Ekhof Festival 2025, a version of the "Triadic Ballet" will be performed as a marionette theater - a form that Oskar Schlemmer himself once planned. The legendary eighteen costumed figurines were constructed as string marionettes by the puppet designers Marianne and Kurt Erbe. In Christian Fuchs' production, they will be presented in the original colors from the Bauhaus era. They will be accompanied musically by star pianist Ragna Schirmer, who will virtuosically interpret the suite of piano pieces planned by Oskar Schlemmer. Music by Georg Friedrich Händel, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Marco Enrico Bossi and Claude Debussy will be played. Ragna Schirmer will play on a grand piano from 1856 from the "Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik" in Leipzig. 

Spohr, Weber, Schubert and Haydn – four titans of classical-romantic music history! They were undoubtedly pioneers on their respective musical paths, intuitively picking up on the trends of their time and laying the foundations for future generations of composers. One thing is certain, however: the one would probably not have existed without the other, or would probably not have achieved the virtuoso brilliance for which they are still praised today. There was a clear mutual influence and this contributed to the development of the musical landscape of their time. One example of this interaction is the connection between Franz Schubert and Carl Maria von Weber. Although they took different musical paths, as contemporaries they shared a common era of transition from Viennese Classicism to Romanticism. Schubert, inspired by Weber's operas, integrated some of his ideas into his songs and music-dramatic works, thus coming closer to the romantic ideal of musical expression. Weber, in turn, was impressed by Schubert's melodic inventiveness and his ability to convey emotional depth in his music. This mutual admiration and influence contributed to the bilateral development of their musical styles. Joseph Haydn and Louis Spohr were also no strangers to each other's musical world. Although they lived in different eras, they shared a common appreciation for form and structure in music. Haydn's work in developing the symphony form laid a foundation for the instrumentation and orchestration that would later be further developed by Spohr in his own works. Spohr's innovative use of the orchestra and his virtuosity as a violinist were certainly influenced by Haydn's pioneering work. The relationship between Spohr and Weber, in turn, was an appreciative, if not friendly one. Both knew each other from their time together in Gotha: In 1812, Karoline Amalie of Hesse-Kassel hosted the German Music Festival in the Margarethenkirche in Gotha, where Carl Maria von Weber took part as pianist and Louis Spohr as conductor of the Gotha court orchestra. The four works played in this symphony concert reveal the excellent legacies of past musical eras in harmonious harmony - for a fleeting moment, space and time merge into a single, infinite moment of classical-romantic aesthetics. 

A10 Spohr, Weber, Schubert, Haydn – Classical! Romantic!

 In den Tiefen des Kontrabasses verbirgt sich eine Welt von höchst unterschätzten Klängen, die von Komponisten gezaubert worden sind, deren Existenz und Wirken heutzutage kaum mehr bekannt sind. Einer von ihnen ist der tschechische Frühklassiker Jan Křtitel Vaňhal, der in seiner kompositorischen Kunst Mozart und Haydn mindestens ebenbürtig gewesen ist und mit seinem virtuosen Konzert für Solo-Kontrabass Musikgeschichte geschrieben hat. Als Schüler Carl Ditters von Dittersdorfs, der selbst auf das Komponieren von Werken für tiefe Streicher spezialisiert war, gelang es Vaňhal, sich – neben Johannes Matthias Sperger – als einer der führenden Kontrabass-Komponisten des 18. Jahrhunderts zu etablieren; bis zu seinem Tod hatte sich seine Popularität sogar bis nach Amerika ausgebreitet. Vaňhal beschäftigt bis heute die Musikwissenschaft, denn er war ein ausgesprochen produktiver Komponist, der aber die Angewohnheit hatte, Freunden beim Verlassen seines Hauses einzelne Notenblätter seiner Musik zu schenken; außerdem fielen viele Spätwerke Vaňhals seiner geistigen Labilität zum Opfer. Die Schwierigkeit für die Musikforscher besteht nun im Auffinden und Wiederbeschaffen von Originalmanuskripten – sein kompositorischer Nachlass soll sich auf mehr als 700 Werke belaufen. Vaňhal war einer der ersten unabhängigen Künstler überhaupt in der Geschichte, der Zeit seines Lebens kein offizielles Amt innehatte und „freischaffend“ leben konnte.  

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