Joining the orchestra for this concert is one of the most remarkable conductors of our time, here to direct a special programme featuring an equally world-renowned soloist. Born in France, Bertrand de Billy made his name as an opera conductor in Germany and later enjoyed tremendous success as first conductor of the RSO Wien, conducting the symphonic repertoire, including the works by German and Austrian composers featured on this concert programme.
The Siegfried Idyll is really a later descendant of 18th century serenade music. Starting with the enchanting music that accompanied Brünnhilde's awakening from her slumber, the motif of Siegfried's horn is then heard before the composition reaches its climax with the singing of the Wood Bird. Radovan Vlatković, the soloist performing one of Mozart's deservedly popular concertos, has been counted among the very finest horn players since 1990, and he also serves as a professor at Salzburg's Mozarteum University and the Escuela de Música Reina Sofia in Madrid.
The second half of the evening offers one of the grandest works in the symphonic repertoire: Richard Strauss composed this piece based on the philosophical novel by Friedrich Nietzsche in 1896 for an enormous orchestra and organ. The opening bars of this monumental opus have become a hit in their own right, although the mysterious motifs and music symbols in the composition remain undeciphered to this day.

Presented by: Hungarian National Philharmonic