Dresden Music Festival: the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra performs Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Rihm and Schumann

The Frauenkirche is an outstanding architectured church. Its dome especially, one of the largest in Europe, is exceptional. The church was built in the 18th century and was destroyed in the Allied bombing during World War II. After the reunification of Germany, the rebuilding of the church started, it was completed in 2005. As far as possible, the church was rebuilt using original stones. Therefore, nowadays, the church is two-coloured: the older stones are darker than the new ones. The difference between old and new stones reflects the church's important history and now stands for Germany's reunification.

In order to celebrate this ten year anniversary, the Dresden Music Festival offers a program based on the musical history of Dresden. Robert Schumann lived there. He wrote his Symphony No. 2, the one that will be interpreted tonight, in Dresden in 1845. Felix Mendelssohn, whose Midsummer Night's Dreamwere will also be performed along with Camille Saint-Saëns's La Muse et le Poète, was a friend of Schumann's. He happened to be the first one to conduct this Symphony No. 2. All works will be interpreted by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

The highlight of the program is most likely the European premiere performance of the new commissioned work by Wolfgang Rihm. His Duo Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra was written to celebrate this anniversary. It will be interpreted by the Orpheus Orchestra and two talented artists: the cellist Jan Vogler and the violinist Mira Wang.

Photo: Jan Vogler and Mira Wang © Mat Hennek

The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra: