2023-11-20 23:55:21
Berlin – Planned as a first musical encounter, celebrated as a future boss – Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Berlin caused a storm of applause at the concert in the Staatsoper Unter den Linden on Monday evening. The conductor, who is considered a specialist in Wagner and the late Romantics, led the orchestra for the first time as designated general music director of the State Opera for Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5 in B major.
The 64-year-old, currently chief conductor of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, succeeds Daniel Barenboim, who had to give up the position at the beginning of the year due to illness. Thielemann will take over the position for the 2024/2025 season.
Originally, the concert on Monday evening was supposed to be a long-term planned first meeting between Thielemann and the Staatskapelle. But then events took a turn for the worse. First, Thielemann stood in for his injured colleague Herbert Blomstedt at a concert evening in June last year. In addition to Bruckner, there was Wagner instead of Mozart.
A much more dramatic gap opened up in September when the then general music director Barenboim fell ill. Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelung” was on the program, and the new production from the State Opera was considered a gift for Barenboim’s 80th birthday. Thielemann stepped in for two cycles and also took over parts of the Asia tour with the Staatskapelle.
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Accordingly, Thielemann’s name was mentioned frequently after Barenboim had to resign from office. Eight weeks ago, the former assistant was finally chosen as the successor to his former boss.
However, Thielemann begins his five-year contract with an already busy schedule. For the first season, for example, only one opera premiere is planned. The desired close collaboration with the orchestra will not be possible until 2025/26. The aim is then around 20 opera evenings.
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