Famed Maestro Nikolaus Harnoncourt Conducts 7 Concerts at His Styriarte Festival of Music in Austria

Worldrenowned conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s artistic endeavors will come to a culmination when he conducts seven extraordinary concerts this summer at the ‘Styriarte Festival of Music’ in Graz, the capital of Steiermark (Styria), a Region in the South-Eastern part of Austria.

The first three concerts on June 22nd, 23rd and 24th will be Beethoven’s Mass in C major. This is a work written at times filled with storms, overshadowed by Napoleon’s wars, like the 5th Symphony. “Of my mass, I believe that I dealt with the text as it has only seldom been handled before.” The great depth of this work reflects one of the most important desires of the people of Europe in those times – their longing for hope and their urgent wish for peace. This concert is featuring Julia Kleiter (soprano), Elisabeth von Magnus (mezzo-soprano), Herbert Lippert (tenor), Geert Smits (baritone), the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

The fourth and fifth concert on June 30th and July 1st will be Haydn’s “The Seasons”. The English poet Thomson from the ‘Europeans of the Enlightenment’ was the Magna Carta of a new era. In his description of a beautiful new world, civic virtues such as being industrious, cheerful and godfearing, are most important. Being the son of a blue-collar worker, these rhymes left an impression on Haydn and he gave them free interpretation in his "Seasons“. Together with an all-star ensemble Harnoncourt angles Haydn’s rich colorful musical score formation to it’s peak. This concert is featuring Genia Kuehmeier (soprano), Ian Bostridge (tenor), Christian Gerhaher (baritone), the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and the Concentus Musicus Wien (Vienna).

The sixth and seventh concert on July 7th and 8th will be Schubert’s “Intende voci” and Beethoven’s “Christ at Mount Olives” - this is the turning point of our history from the point of view of Christianity: Jesus drinks from the chalice of affliction and starts to approach the Passion and Resurrection. In his oratorio of 1803, Beethoven focused on the events of that night in the “Gardens of Gethsemane”. Performed not as often as the Mass in C major, it is nonetheless one of his greatest influential pieces. It is featuring Laura Aikin (soprano), Herbert Lippert (tenor), Florian Boesch (baritone), the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and the Concentus Musicus Wien.

Tickets to these events range from Euros 10 to 110. Many other events are scheduled during the Styriarte festival, which will take place between June 22 and July 22, 2007.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s musical career spans almost 60 years and his career as a conductor of both orchestral works and opera comprehends Viennese Classicism, the Romantic repertoire and works from the 20th century. In 1953 he founded the Concentus Musicus Wien (Vienna) together with his wife Alice, a violinist, to provide an outlet for his increasingly intensive work with instruments of the Renaissance and baroque period’s musical tradition.

The Austrian conductor Harnoncourt was born in Berlin, brought up in Graz and studied music in Vienna. His mother was Ladislaja Gräfin von Meran, Freiin von Brandhoven and she was the granddaughter of the Styrian Archduke Johann. His father, Eberhard de la Fontaine Graf d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt was an engineer working in Berlin. The family eventually moved to Graz, where Harnoncourt still resides.

Founded in 1985, the Styriarte Festival of Music, under the direction of Harnoncourt, has built its reputation on attracting high-profile musicians, such as principal players from major orchestras, in addition to stars like violinist Riccardo Minasi and piano virtuoso Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Artists like Viennese Symphonics principal oboist, Paul Kaiser, return year after year to share their talents with the community and to relive the invigorating spirit that is found in the people and the beauty of Graz. Harnoncourt encourages the Festival to be a rediscovery of long-lost variations of our musical heritage and with this years motto “Wanted: Europe” the Styriarte 2007 sets out on a search for the abducted princess of a mythical past, while at the same time strives to explore the continent of Europe and its changing identity.

Magnificent German soprano Julia Kleiter sets examples that wonderful music can even be more elated with her flawless artistic direction as a musician. Kleiter has a pure, rich, chime sounding voice with no rough edges whatsoever. The connoisseur of music can only respond with pleasure to the quality of her singing. She is a terrific Beethoven interpreter and has a true feel how to shape the phrasing.

Austrian mezzo-soprano Elisabeth von Magnus, who is also Harnoncourt’s daughter, and probably best known for her work in sacred music with her velvet and warm voice, is a steady mezzo-soprano, rounded and beautiful and with a great deal of temperament. No matter what -- her interpretations etch themselves into ones memory.

Herbert Lippert from Vienna, a smooth and engaging tenor is a real standout. "In mir brennt das Feuer ganz gross!" - “In me the fire is burning very high”, says the polite and straightforward thoroughbred musician. Above all he shows that he is feeling good when singing while enjoyment and beauty are transferred to the listener.

Vibrant baritone Geert Smits, who was born in Holland, manages a convincing portrayal of his roles with a pleasing vocalism. He handles the passages with precision, displaying a beautifully resonant tone.

Sweet and young soprano, the exquisite Genia Kühmeier from Salzburg is full of undoubted gifts, simply golden!

London born tenor Ian Bostridge is well known for his Schubert interpretations and admired for his high approach to singing the songs. He has a perfect glorious, light and radiant tenor that indicates emotional weight and intensity with some transparency.

Young German baritone Christian Gerhaher who has studied with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, shows a considerable care for coloration, phrasing, articulation and enunciation with his fine-spun tone.

World renowned American soprano Laura Aikin is considered a leader amongst the generation of dynamic young sopranos today. She possesses a range of over three octaves and has a mesmerizing stage presence. She is impressive, both in musical accuracy as well as dramatic pertinency.

Austrian baritone Florian Boesch sings with a deep, resonant, crystal-clear voice that is forceful and dramatic where required, but can also be gentle and soft whenever it is called for.

The Arnold Schoenberg Choir is an established and highly praised choir among conductors, critics and the musical scene in Europe and the Concentus Musicus Wien, founded by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, plays early music on instruments of that period and has paved the way for historical performances with great success. The Chamber Orchestra of Europe draws its membership of fifty musicians from fifteen countries and are performing with the world’s leading conductors, besides recording albums and winning many international awards.

Harnoncourt shows the world with “his” Styriarte that music is opening horizons beyond borders, scrutinizes all prejudices and shows that Europe is not a frozen entity, but always inventing itself anew again: as vision, chance and hope.--www.austriatravel.ws