Beethoven - 9th Symphony - Ode To Joy (Venice 2023)

The Venice Opera La Fenice invites you to Piazza San Marco for Beethoven's Ninth, the German composer's symphonic testament, under the direction of Slovak maestro Juraj Valčuha. Served by a vocal quartet composed among others of Federica Lombardi and Michael Schade, a concert that is rich in lyricism and emotions.
Last completed composition by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 is a timeless musical work, a veritable olympus of the symphonic repertoire. Beethoven devoted a large part of his life to the composition of this imposing revolutionary masterpiece which, for the first time, included the presence of a choir and soloists.
His project to set Ode to Joy, a 1785 poem by Schiller that has become a symbol of the brotherhood ideals of German youth, goes back to his studies in Bonn. But it was not until 1823 that he devoted himself fully to his symphony, the premiere of which at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna, on May 7, 1824, met with immediate success. The composer, who in the meantime had become completely deaf, received the ovation of a conquered Viennese audience who, rather than applauding, waved their handkerchiefs to thank him.
Sometimes called the "Anthem of Europe" or "European Anthem" as in 1972, the Council of Europe adopted it as an anthem to represent European unity, and later in 1985 it was also adopted by the European Union. Its purpose is to honour shared European values. The EU describes it as expressing the ideals of freedom, peace and solidarity.The anthem is played on official occasions such as political or civil events.
It is the Slovak maestro Juraj Valčuha who, at the head of the orchestra and the choir of the La Fenice theatre, conducts the symphonic testament of the German composer in Saint Mark's Square in Venice. The vocal quartet is composed of Federica Lombardi (soprano), Michael Schade (tenor), Veronica Simeoni (mezzo-soprano) and Mark S. Doss (bass), and the choir is placed under the direction of Alfonso Caiani.
Concert filmed on July 8, 2023 in Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy.
Listen to more Beethoven: amzn.to/3s25zop
#OdeToJoy #Beethoven #ClassicalMusic

[@wkchristie]

❤

[@RichieBee]

💙💙💙