Dresde Staatskapelle

DRESDEN STAATSKAPELLE PERFORMS JANUARY 17 AT
ORANGE COUNTY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

One of Europe's oldest and most respected orchestras plays works by
Beethoven and Richard Strauss

"This orchestra is a dream. They have, so to say, Strauss in their blood." — Seiji Ozawa

One of the world’s finest orchestras, the Dresden Staatskapelle, performs music of Beethoven and Strauss on Wednesday, January 17, 2001 at 8 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Professor of music and radio commentator Alan Chapman gives a preview lecture at 7 p.m. from the Segerstrom Hall stage.

The great composer Richard Strauss was associated with the Staatskapelle for more than 60 years as a composer and conductor, giving the first performances of nine of his operas. As a result of this close relationship, the orchestra is known to this day as the "Strauss" orchestra. Under the leadership of music director Giuseppe Sinopoli, the orchestra performs Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben ("A Hero’s Life"), Op. 40, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93. The Dresden Staatskapelle was previously presented in Orange County by the Philharmonic Society in 1996.

Tickets for the Dresden Staatskapelle are $55, $50, $40, $25 and $15 and are available at the Orange County Performing Arts Center box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Order online at www.philharmonicsociety.org. For more information, please call the Philharmonic Society at (949) 553-2422.

The Dresden Staatskapelle celebrated its 450^th anniversary in 1998. Founded in 1548 as an ensemble of court choristers, the orchestra made its first concert tour in 1575. Led in the 17^th century by Heinrich Schütz, one of the leading composers of his time, the orchestra achieved fame throughout Europe. Beethoven noted, "It is generally said that the orchestra in Dresden is the best in Europe," while philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau called it "the most complete and best ordered ensemble." Richard Wagner served as music director from 1843-49 and conducted the premieres of Rienzi, Der fliegende Holländer and Tannhäuser.

Previous music directors of the orchestra have included Fritz Reiner, Fritz Busch, Karl Böhm, Rudolf Kempe, Kurt Sanderling and Herbert Blomstedt. Composers who have appeared with the orchestra include Mozart, Paganini, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Brahms, Stravinsky Lutoslawski and Henze; and prominent guest conductors include Herbert von Karajan, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Seiji Ozawa, James Levine, Zubin Mehta, and Bernard Haitink. The orchestra records on the Deutsche Grammophon and Teldec labels.

Music director Giuseppe Sinopoli was born in Venice, Italy in 1946 and began his musical career as a composer after receiving doctorates in medicine and archeology. He studied with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna and made his conducting debut in 1976. After serving as chief conductor of the Orchestra dell’ Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Sinopoli was appointed principal conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra of London in 1984 and became the orchestra’s music director in 1987. He was appointed music director of the Dresden Staatskapelle in 1992, and since 1985 he has been a frequent guest of the Bayreuth Festival in Germany. Future projects include new opera productions at the Vienna State Opera and La Scala in Milan.

For more information on the Philharmonic Society’ s 2000-2001 season, call (949) 553-2422 or visit www.philharmonicsociety.org.

Source: Philharmonic Society of Orange County

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