FESTIVAL OPENING “The best orchestra in the world” Richard Strauss Music | Germany Founded in 1548, Staatskapelle Dresden is one of the world’s oldest orchestras and steeped in tradition. Its former music directors include Richard Wagner, while nine of Richard Strauss’ operas, including Salomé and Der Rosenkavalierwere premiered at the Orchestra’s home in Dresden, the Semperoper. Its celebrated Principal Conductor, Christian Thielemann is a leading light at the Bayreuth Festival and a popular guest at the prestigious Salzburg Festival. Acclaimed for his mastery of the German romantic repertoire, Thielemann leads the Staatskapelle in two superbly constructed programmes. For the Festival Opening concert, Bruckner’s heavenly Ninth Symphony is paired with Strauss’ impassioned reflection on war’s destruction,Metamorphosen. The second concert brings Liszt’s beautiful writing for harps inOrpheus, his son-in-law Wagner’s tranquil Siegfried Idyll, and culminates with Strauss’ irresistibly flamboyant musical self-portrait and an all-time great orchestral showpiece, Ein Heldenleben. PROGRAMME 27 Feb 2015 R Strauss: Metamorphosen, Study for 23 Solo Strings Bruckner: Symphony No 9 in D minor 28 Feb 2015 Liszt: Orpheus, Symphonic Poem No 4 Wagner: Siegfried-Idyll R Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 Conductor: Christian Thielemann