beethoven
Corinna Niemeyer | Luca Buratto, piano
Corinna Niemeyer is currently in her second season as Assistant Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Corinna’s enthusiasm for conveying music in innovative ways, combined with an in- depth approach to all the repertoire she conducts, is reflected in the breadth of her activities as a guest conductor, which includes period music ensembles, contemporary premieres, cross-disciplinary projects, opera, as well as mainstream symphonic projects.
Winner of the 2015 edition of the Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, Luca Buratto stands out for his interpretations “rich in finesse and a very strong imagination” (Musical America). He was spoken of as “a name to follow” (The Guardian) and “an out of the ordinary virtuoso” (The Telegraph).
Program
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Ouverture from Egmont
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Concerto for piano and orchestra n. 5 in E flat major op. 73 “Emperor”
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Symphony n. 2 in D major op. 36
Composer
Ouverture from Egmont
Year of composition: 1809/1810
First performance: June 15, 1810
Movements:
1. Sostenuto, ma non troppo
2. Allegro
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Egmont is at the same time a drama of destiny and a political manifesto, revealed by the clash between the struggle for national freedom carried out by the protagonist and the despotism of the Duke of Alba. Incidental music written by Beethoven recalls the heroism of the drama and consists of a powerful and expressive Ouverture (in which the composer respects the principles of the forma-sonata) and nine independent pieces. The slow introduction opens with a chord in unison with the whole orchestra and moves alternating the strings with the wind instruments. The Allegro, on the other hand, which corresponds to the moment of struggle, is traversed by strong energy and is built starting from a series of motifs, derived from cells previously listened to.
Concerto for piano and orchestra n. 5 in E flat major op. 73 “Emperor”
Year of composition: 1809/1810
First performance: Leipzig, November 28, 1811
Movements:
1. Allegro
2. Adagio un poco mosso
3. Rondò: Allegro
The concert is dedicated, like the previous one, to Archduke Rudolf John of Habsburg-Lorraine, and performed for the first time by the pianist Friedrich Schneider, under the direction of Johann Philipp Christian Schulz. The theme of the first movement, with a joyful character, is proposed in an imposing way by the whole orchestral, while the piano solo smooths out the corners and gives it a more intimate character. Even in the Adagio un poco mosso, the piano does not stand out as an instrument in its own right, but blends harmoniously with the orchestra. In the final Rondo, the central part is dedicated to a continuous presentation of the theme by the piano, followed by the orchestra’s response.
Simphony n. 2 in D major op. 36
Year of composition: 1800/1802
First performance: Vienna, Theater an der Wien, 5 Aprile 1803
Movements:
1. Adagio; Allegro con brio
2. Larghetto
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. Allegro molto
The Second Symphony opens with a slow Introduction that surprises with its profound and skilful harmonic elaboration, the launching pad for an Allegro con brio that speeds by very fast. The Larghetto shows how Beethoven’s creative muse eludes the musician’s predecessors, now far from both Haydn and Mozart. It is a long composed graceful farewell in the eighteenth-century style, while the Scherzo imposes the flexible meter full of contrasts, which will characterize the future Scherzi of the musician. The Finale hastens with a dangerous liveliness.
ORCHESTRA OF THE TEATRO COMUNALE DI BOLOGNA
With its long-standing tradition, the Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna has been led by Musical Directors like Sergiu Celibidache, Zoltán Peskó, Vladimir Delman, Riccardo Chailly, Daniele Gatti, Michele Mariotti. Some of the conductors who have worked with the ensemble include Gary Bertini, Myung-Whun Chung, James Conlon, Pinchas Steinberg, Valery Gergiev, Eliau Inbal, Vladimir Jurowskij, Daniel Oren, Peter Maag, Neville Marriner, Kurt Masur, Riccardo Muti, Mstislav Rostropovič, Esa Pekka Salonen, Georg Solti, Christian Thielemann, Charles Dutoit, Georges Prêtre. The Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale is often invited abroad (The Netherlands, Romania, Spain, France, and Switzerland) and has played in many prestigious festivals (Amsterdam 1987, Parma 1990, Wiesbaden 1994, Santander 2004 and 2008, Aix en Provence 2005, Savonlinna 2006, Macao 2013, Muscat 2015, Guanajuato in Mexico 2017, Paris 2018). A special connection with Japan has brought to several tours, including the tour in June 2019 in Osaka, Tokyo, Yokohama, Fukuoka, with performances of Rigoletto directed by Alessio Pizzech, and of Il Barbiere di Siviglia directed by Federico Grazzini.
Its numerous recordings include La Favorite conducted by Richard Bonynge; Oberto Conte di San Bonifacio conduted by Zoltán Peskó, Il Barbiere di Siviglia conducted by Giuseppe Patané, La Fille du Régiment conducted by Bruno Campanella, Le Maschere and La Bohème conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti, La Scala di Seta conducted by Gabriele Ferro, Macbeth, Manon Lescaut, Rigoletto, La Cenerentola, Messa Solenne, and the video production of Vespri siciliani and Giovanna d’Arco and Werther conducted by Riccardo Chailly, Armide conducted by Daniele Gatti, Simon Boccanegra conducted by Michele Mariotti.
The Orchestra, conducted by Michele Mariotti, has recorded a CD under the label Decca with sacred arias sung by Juan Diego Flórez, and an album under Sony with Romantic arias sung by Nino Machaidze. Under Deutsche Grammophon the Orchestra recorded Le Comte Ory with Flórez, and La Nuit de Mai – a selection or arias and songs by Leoncavallo – with Placido Domingo. Under the label PENTATONE it recently released a CD containing overtures by Rossini, to celebrate 150 years since the death of the composer.
In March 2013 the artistic ensembles of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, led by Michele Mariotti, opened the IV International Festival Mstislav Rostropovich in Moscow, where they performed Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. In October 2015, again with Michele Mariotti on the podium, they opened the Lingotto Music Festival at the Auditorium Giovanni Agnelli in Turin, where they performed Stabat Mater by Rossini, and his Overture and Ballet Music from Guillaume Tell.
After working with the Rossini Opera Festival for nearly thirty years (from 1988 to 2016), the year 2017 brought new collaborations between the Teatro Comunale di Bologna and the Verdi Festival in Parma, where the Orchestra performed, among other productions, the Stiffelio directed by Graham Vick. Staged at the Teatro Farnese, the show was highly appreciated by audience and critics alike and was granted the Special Prize at the 37th edition of the “Franco Abbiati” Critics award. The Orchestra’s engagements with the Verdi Festival for the Fall of 2019 include Luisa Miller at the Chiesa di San Francesco del Prato in Parma, and Aida at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto.
The Teatro Comunale’s 2018 production of La Bohème staged by Graham Vick received the Abbiati Award as best show.