Organization

Conductor

Giovanni Antonini

Singer

Soprano

Julia Lezhneva

Soprano I

Soloist

Orchestra

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Giovanni Antonini conducts Mendelssohn's "Italienische"

Bamberg

Germany

Konzerthalle

Giovanni Antonini conducts Mendelssohn's "Italienische": Concert Various

Public

Concert

Oratorio / Orchestral

Symphony No. 85 in B♭ major

Exsultate, jubilate

Otello

The Lady of the Lake

Symphony No. 4 in A major, op. 90

Approved

Journeys are an excellent balm for the soul – Mendelssohn already knew this when he set off for Italy in 1830 and, during a stopover in Weimar, may well have heard his friend Goethe say: »The free sea frees the spirit«. The Italian landscape inspired Mendelssohn to compose his fourth symphony: especially the melodic, gushing opening movement and the intoxicating saltarello finale seem wonderfully bathed in sunlight. Mozart's numerous itineraries have also left their mark: in 1773, at the age of only sixteen, he wrote the sometimes jubilant, sometimes heartfelt motet »Exsultate, jubilate« in Milan for an Italian castrato who is said to have sung »like an angel«. No less angelic will star soprano Julia Lezhneva perform this work for us. Unlike Mozart, Haydn spent most of his time in the provinces in his cherished »Esterházy's fairy land«, except for his later trips to London – but the great cities nevertheless became aware of him, so he travelled in spirit. The symphony no. 85, written for Paris in 1785, was given the title »La Reine« because Queen Marie Antoinette held it in particularly high esteem: A splendid composition that takes the folk song »La gentille et jeune Lisette« and integrates it with a number of surprises. Rossini also left behind grandiose numbers in his many operas, such as the soulful lament »Assisa a piè d'un salice« and the bravura aria »Tanti affetti in tal momento«. Born in a small harbour town on the Adriatic Sea, he was revered throughout Europe. We look forward to the conducting of Giovanni Antonini, who has become a regular guest in Bamberg!

English

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Ensemble