Engelbert Humperdinck | Hänsel und Gretel (Hansel and Gretel)
Musikalische Leitung
Adam Hickox
Musical Direction
Birthplace:
Truro, England
Studies:
Music and composition with Robin Holloway at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge,
Conducting with Sian Edwards at the Royal Academy of Music
Prizes:
Ernest Read Conducting Prize
Repertoire:
Mozart, Humperdinck, Donizetti, Verdi, Pucci, Ravel, Tippett, Bernstein
Career stages:
Principal Conductor of The Glyndebourne Sinfonia
Assistant Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic from 2019-2022
Stages:
Barbican Centre, Opera North, Royal Scottish Conservatoire, et al.
Cooperation with orchestras:
Orchestre de Paris, BBC Scottish Symphony, BBC Symphony, Ulster Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, Gävle Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland)
More about Adam Hickox
photo: Ben Ealovega
Leitung Kinderchor
Luiz de Godoy
Musical Direction
Birthplace:
Mogi das Cruzes, Brasil
Studies:
Piano at Universidade de São Paulo (Bachelor) and at Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas (Master), Erasmus stay with focus on piano and conducting at Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, Diploma course conducting at Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien (with honors)
Prizes:
Würdigungspreis der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (2019), Scholarship from UNESCO, the European Union and the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Erwin-Ortner-Preis zur Förderung der Chormusik (2016)
Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Leader Alsterspatzen since 2019/20
Repertoire:
Focus on choral symphonic repertoire (spiritual and secular oratorios; in particular Wiener Klassik and Deutsche Romantik), special relationship to performance practices of old and new music
Career stages:
conductor of the Wiener Sängerknaben (2016–2019), choir director of Chorakademie des Wiener Staatsopernchores (2016–2018), assistent of the artistic director of the Wiener Singakademie at the Wiener Konzerthaus (2015–2019), musical director of Opera Studio at Sommerfestival „ Música nas Montanhas“ in Poços de Caldas, Brasilien (2010–2012), corepeater of opera projekts at Theatro Municipal de São Paulo (2005–2009)
Stages:
Esplanade Singapur, Peking National Opera, Seoul Lotte Hall, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Taiwan National Theater, Teatro Real Madrid, Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, Tokyo Opera City Hall, Wiener Konzerthaus, Wiener Musikverein; Carinthischer Sommer, Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Grafenegg Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival
Cooperations with orchestras (as conductor):
Camerata Schulz, ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Orquestra de la Armada de Chile, Orquestra Juvenil da Bahia, Polish Baltic Filharmonic, Schubert-Akademie Wien, Youth-Orchestra Singapur et al.
cooperations (choral rehearsal / assistance):
Berliner Philharmoniker, Les Sciècles, Mariinsky-Theaterorchester Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Symphoniker et al.
Cooperations with artists:
Gustavo Dudamel, Valery Gergiev, Ton Koopman, Sir Simon Rattle, Simone Young, Franz Welser-Möst
photo: Fernanda Nigro
Peter
Kartal Karagedik
Baritone
Birthplace:
Izmir, Turkey
Studies:
Singing in Izmir at the University of Istanbul, among others with Alper Kazancioglu and Prof. Güzin Gürel
Master classes:
With Giorgio Zancanaro, Paolo Ballarin, Barbara Frittoli, Luciana Serra and Alfonso Antoniozzi.
Prizes:
First Prize at the Debut Competition (2012), Third Prize and Critics' Award at the Ottavio Ziino Concorso Lirico Internazionale in Rome (2011), Second Prize at the Leyla Gencer Competition in Istanbul (2010), Second Prize at the Beniamino Gigli Competition in Rome (2009), "Best Male Singer" at the International Duchi d'Acquaviva Competition in Atri (2008), "Special Mention Prize" at the International Opera Competition in Como (2008), third prize at the Ferruccio Tagliavini Competition in Graz (2007), first prize at the Güzin Gürel Foundation Lieder Competition in Istanbul (2007)
Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Ensemble member of the Hamburg State Opera since 2015/16
Important parts:
Renato (Un ballo in maschera), Rodrigo (Don Carlo), Germont (La Traviata), Simon Boccanegra (Simon Boccanegra), Onegin (Eugeny Onegin), Lescaut (Manon Lescaut), Marcello (La Bohème), Sharpless (Madama butterfly), Sonora (La Fanciulla del West), (Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor), Duca D'alba (Duca D'alba), Belcore (L'Elisir d'Amore), Riccardo (I Puritani), Il Conte d'Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Carlo Gérard (Andrea Chénier), Mischonnet (Adriana Lecouvreur), Dandini (La Cenerentola), Poeta ( Il Turco in Italia), Chorébe (Les Troyens), Escamillo (Carmen), Valentin (Faust), Ford (Falstaff), Malatesta (Don Pasquale), et al.
Stages:
Hamburg State Opera, Opera Vlaanderen, Theater St. Gallen, Savonlinna Opera Festival, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Puccini Festival at Torre del Lago, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Komische Oper Berlin, Theater Magdeburg, Theater Erfurt, Oper Leipzig, Staatstheater Braunschweig, Izmir State Opera, et al.
Cooperation with directors:
Georges Delnon, Stefan Herheim, Kirsten Harms, Herbert Fritsch, Michael Thalheimer, Guy Montavon, Carlos Wagner, Stefano Poda, Robert Carsen, et al.
Cooperation with conductors:
Kent Nagano, Stefano Ranzani, Ottavio Dantone, Eliahu Inbal, Roberto Rizzi-Brignoli, Christoph Prick, Valerio Galli, Andriy Yurkevych, Yves Abel, John Storgårds, Anthony Bramal, Ulf Schirmer, Manlio Benzi, Joana Mallwitz, Peter Feranec, Modesta Pitrenas, Francesco Ivan Ciampa, et al.
More about Kartal Karagedik
photo: Kartal Karagedik
Gertrud
Katja Pieweck
Soprano
Birthplace:
Hannover, Germany
Studies:
Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg with Prof. Ks. Judith Beckmann
Prizes:
Dr. Wilhelm Oberdörffer Preis of the Körber-Stiftung (2007), Cultural Prize of the Berenberg Bank Hamburg (2000), First Prize of the International Robert Stolz Singing Competition in Hamburg (2000), Masefield Fellowship of the Alfred Toepfer Stiftung
Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Ensemble member of the Hamburg State Opera since 1999/2000, member of the International Opera Studio of the Hamburg State Opera (1997/98 to 1998/99)
Important parts:
Adalgisa (Norma), Mercédès (Carmen), Hexe (Königskinder), Smeton (Anna Bolena), Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor), Marquise de Berkenfield (La fille du régiment), Sélysette (Ariane et Barbe-Bleue), Arsamene (Xerxes), Sancta Susanna (Klementia), Gertrud/Sandmännchen (Hänsel und Gretel), Frau des Dorfrichters (Jenufa), Valencienne (Die lustige Witwe), Witwe Browe (Zar und Zimmermann), Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana), Damigella Pallade (L’Incoronazione di Poppea), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), Marcellina (Le Nozze di Figaro), Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Schenkwirtin (Boris Godunov), Mutter (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Mère Marie (Dialogues des Carmélites), Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Frugola (Il Tabarro), Goneril (Lear), Berta/Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Marchese Melibea (Il Viaggio a Reims), Ariadne (Ariadne), Adelaide (Arabella), Annina (Der Rosenkavalier), Aufseherin/1. Magd (Elektra), Curra/Preziosilla (La Forza del Destino), Annina (La Traviata), Meg Page/Alice Ford (Falstaff), Giovanna/Maddalena (Rigoletto), Fenena (Nabucco), Emilia (Otello), Fricka (Das Rheingold), Siegrune/Sieglinde (Die Walküre), Magdalena (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde), Ortrud (Lohengrin), Adriano (Rienzi), Eglantine (Euryanthe), Ericlea (Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria), Larina (Eugen Onegin), et al.
Stages:
Hamburgische Staatsoper, Semperoper, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Staatstheater Mainz, Bayerische Staatsoper, Oper Leipzig, Internationale Herrenchiemsee Festspiele, Staatsoper Hannover, et al.
Zusammenarbeit mit Regisseuren:
Peter Konwitschny, Karoline Gruber, Claus Guth, Willy Decker, Achim Freyer, Roger Vontobel, Stefan Herheim, Michael Thalheimer, et al.
Zusammenarbeit mit Dirigenten:
Simone Young, Sir Simon Rattle, Peter Schneider, Ingo Metzmacher, Gerd Albrecht, Sebastian Weigle, Rolf Beck, Krzysztof Penderecki, et al.
photo: Ida Aldrian
Hänsel
Ida Aldrian
mezzo-soprano
Birthplace:
Bruck an der Mur, Austria
Studies:
University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Leopold Spitzer and Karlheinz Hanser; studies for Stage Performance (Opera and Musical Drama), Art Song and Oratorio with KS Marjana Lipovšek with honors; member of International Opera Studio of the Hamburg State Opera (2012/13–2013/14)
Master class:
With Ann Murray, Bernarda Fink, Reri Grist, Peter Kooij, Andrew Watts, Thomas Hampson, Wicus Slabbert, Alan Titus, Brigitte Fassbaender, et al.
Prizes:
Dr.-Wilhelm-Oberdörffer-Preis of Stiftung zur Förderung der Hamburgischen Staatsoper (2014), prize winner of the jury ranking at international singing competition „Stella Maris“ (2014)
Relation to the State Opera:
Ensemble member of the Hamburg State Opera since the season 2019/20
Important parts:
Wellgunde (Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung), Siegrune and Rossweiße (Die Walküre), Blumenmädchen and Stimme aus der Höhe (Parsifal ), 2. Maid (Daphne), Feodor (Boris Godunov), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), Isabella (L'Italiana in Algeri), Adalgisa (Norma), Idamante (Idomeneo), Third Lady (The Magic Flute), Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Penelope (Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria), Mercedes (Carmen), Tisbe (La Cenerentola), Laura (Luisa Miller), Flora and Annina (La Traviata), Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), Meg Page (Falstaff), Dryade (Ariadne auf Naxos), Orlofski (Die Fledermaus), et al.
Stages:
Elbphilharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Kölner Philharmonie, Wiener Konzerthaus, Musikverein Wien, Staatstheater Nürnberg, Grafenegg Festival, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Barocktage Melk, Styriarte, International Brucknerfest Linz, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, et al.
Cooperation with directors:
Andreas Homoki, Georg Schmiedleitner, Laura Scozzi, Mariame Clément, Verena Stoiber, Peter Konwitschny, Stéphane Braunschweig, David Bösch, et al.
Cooperation with conductors:
Simone Young, Kent Nagano, Martin Haselböck, Marcus Bosch, Yutaka Sado, Pablo Heras-Casado, Christopher Moulds, Cornelius Meister, Fabio Luisi, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Simon Gaudenz, et al.
More about Ida Aldrian
photo: Christoph Ziegler
Gretel
Olivia Boen
Soprano
Birthplace:
Chicago, USA
Studies:
Opera Course at Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2021), Master of Music with Distinction at Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2019), Bachelor of Music in Voice from Oberlin Conservatory of Music (2017)
Prizes:
Finalist Guildhall Gold Medal Prize (2021), Awarded English Song Prize from London Song Festival (2019), Third Place Hurn Court Singing Competition (2019), First Place Musicians Club of Women Lynne Cooper Harvey Foundation Award (2018), Awarded Frank Huntington Beebe Fund for Musicians Grant (2018), First Place Tuesday Musical Competition (2017)
Master classes:
Renée Fleming, Roderick Williams, Thomas Hampson, Eric Owens, Helmut Deutsch, Marilyn Horne, Thomas Quasthoff, Dame Felicity Lott, Kamal Khan, Kate Royal
Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Member of the International Opera Studio of the Hamburg State Opera since the 2022/2023 season
Important parts:
Alice Ford (Falstaff), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Sifare (Mitridate), Servilia (La Clemenza di Tito), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Musetta (La Bohéme), Susanna (Il Segreto di Susanna), Queen Mother (The Little Green Swallow), Alcina (Alcina), Romilda (Serse), et al.
Stages:
Opéra national de Paris, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Wigmore Hall, Grant Park Music Festival, Oxford Lieder Festival, Verbier Festival, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Barbican Centre, Ravinia Festival, International Meistersinger Academy, Samling Institute, et al.
Cooperations with directors:
Frank Castorf, Immo Karaman, Lee Blakeley, Stephen Medcalf, et al.
Cooperations with conductors:
Sir Andrew Davis, Valery Gergiev, Dominic Wheeler, Stanislav Kochanovsky, et al.
More about Olivia Boen
photo: Simon Pauly
Knusperhexe
Hellen Kwon
Soprano
Birthplace:
Seoul, South Korea
Studies:
Hochschule für Musik Köln with Dietger Jacob (1979-1984)
Prizes:
First prize in the Novara International Singing Competition (1984), winner of the Dr. Wilhelm Oberdörffer Preis (1987), Rolf-Mares-Preis in the category “Exceptional Performances of an Actresses” for her interpretation of “Frau” in Wolfgang Rihm’s “Das Gehege” (2010), Grammy Award Nomination for the recording of Walter von Braunfels’ “Die Vögel” conducted by Lothar Zagrosek, honored with the title of “Hamburger Kammersängerin” by the Hamburg Senate (2011), “Order of Civil” by the Korean Government for exceptional artistic achievements (2013), “Star of Ewha” Prize (2018)
Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Ensemble member of the Hamburg State Opera since 1987/88
Important parts:
The Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Zdenka (Arabella), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Blonde/Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Donna Anna/Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Despina/Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Elettra (Idomeneo), Vitellia (La clemenza di Tito), Musetta/Mimì (La Bohème), Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Liú (Turandot), Violetta Valéry (La Traviata), Gilda (Rigoletto), Oscar (Un Ballo in Maschera), Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Micaëla (Carmen), Norina (Don Pasquale), Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore), Adele/Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Agathe (Der Freischütz), Senta (Der fliegende Holländer), Minni (La Fanciulla del West), Frau (Das Gehege), Salome/Herodias (Salome), Chrysothemis (Elektra), et al.
Stages:
Hamburgische Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper, Bayreuther Festspiele, Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, Semperoper Dresden, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Oper Leipzig, Oper Stuttgart, Oper Köln, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Wiener Staatsoper, Wiener Festwochen, Salzburger Festspiele, Opernhaus Zürich, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Festival d‘Aix-en-Provence, Opéra Comique de Paris, Glyndebourne Festival, Den Norske Opera, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Teatro Filarmonico Verona, The Israeli Opera, Jerusalem Opera Festival, New National Theatere Tokio, Korean National Opera, et al.
Cooperation with directors:
Achim Freyer, Peter Konwitschny, Johannes Schaaf, Günther Krämer, Marco Marelli, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, Peter Sellars, John Dew, Adolf Dresen, Nikolas Brieger, Johannes Erath, Claus Guth, et al.
Cooperation with conductors:
Giuseppe Sinopoli, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Horst Stein, Neville Marriner, Zubin Mehta, James Levine, Jeffrey Tate, Marcello Viotti, Simone Young, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Kent Nagano, Christian Thielemann, et al.
photo: Martina Cyman
Sandmännchen
Aebh Kelly
Mezzo-Soprano
Birthplace:
Dublin, Ireland
Studies:
Mascarade Emerging Artists, Florence
Georg Solti Accademia
Irish National Opera Studio
Royal Irish Academy of Music (BMus)
Master class:
Richard Bonynge, Aigul Akhmetshina, Freddie De Tommaso (Georg Solti Accademia), Vivica Genaux (Mascarade Emerging Artists), Tara Erraught, Paula Murrihy (Irish National Opera), Bernarda Fink (Neue Stimmen Masterclass), Ann Murray (Royal Irish Academy of Music)
Prizes:
2nd Prize & Dermot Troy Prize (Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition)
Final Round (Neue Stimmen)
1st Prize (Maura Dowdall Concerto Competition)
Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Member of the International Opera Studio of the Hamburg State Opera since the 2024/2025 season.
Important parts:
Dido (Dido & Aeneas), Flora (La Traviata), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Popova (The Bear), Endimione (La Calisto), Catherine (A Thing I Cannot Name), Melissa (La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina)
Stages:
Teatro La Fenice, Theater und Orchester Heidelberg, Teatr Wielki Opera, National Opera House Wexford, Cork Opera House, National Concert Hall Dublin
Cooperation with directors:
Marie Lambert-Le Bihan, Noa Naamat, Jean-Romain Vesperini, Pedro Ribiero, Federico Grazzini, Olivia Fuchs, Sonja Trebes
Cooperation with conductors:
Laurent Wagner, Roland Kluttig, Jonathan Santagada, Jonathan Bloxham, Wyn Davies, Christian Curnyn, Fergus Sheil, Killian Farrel, David Brophy, Jonathan Cole-Swinard
More about Aebh Kelly
photo: Jörn Kipping
Taumännchen
Marie Maidowski
Soprano
Birthplace:
Berlin, Germany
Studies:
Bachelor in singing and music theater with KS Prof. Julie Kaufmann at the Berlin University of the Arts Master in concert singing with KS Prof. Christiane Iven at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich
Master class:
19th Lotte Lehmann Week in Perleberg (2016)
Masterclass with Prof. Marga Schiml in Switzerland (2019)
Masterclass with Prof. Gabriele Lechner in Baden near Vienna (2020)
Prizes:
Scholarship from the Young Musicians Foundation in Mühlheim (2018) Scholarship from the Cusanuswerk study grant (since 2020) Finalist at the German National Singing Competition in the Junior Competition category (2020) Scholarship from the German Stage Association (2023) Staetshuys Fund Prize and Van Amelsvoort Prize for the best interpretation of a work by a female composer at the International Vocal Competition 2023 in `s Hertogenbosch with Lied Duo partner YoungSeob Jeon
Audience and jury prize at the HIDALGO Song Prize 2023 with Lied Duo partner YoungSeob Jeon
Relation to the Hamburg State Opera:
Member of the International Opera Studio of the Hamburg State Opera from the 2024/25 season
Important parts:
Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro), Nurse (Alzheim), Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro), Silvia (L'isola disabitata), Lovis (Der Baumgeist), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Daphne Colgate (Georgia Bottoms), et al.
Stages:
Staatstheater Cottbus, Philharmonie Luxembourg, Cuvilliéstheater Munich, et al.
Cooperation with directors:
Frank Hilbrich, Bernarda Horres, Tomo Sugao, Maximilian Berling, Isabel Hindersin, et al.
Cooperation with conductors:
Errico Fresis, Johannes Zurl, Johanna Soller, Aris Blettenberg, Henri Bonamy, Gad Kadosh, et al.
More about Marie Maidowski
photo: Jörn Kipping
Kinderchor
Alsterspatzen – Kinder- und Jugendchor der Hamburgischen Staatsoper
Die Alsterspatzen bezaubern seit vielen Jahrzehnten als Lebkuchen- oder Straßenkinder, als Ministranten und Elfenchor. In der Spielzeit 2019/20 übernahm Luiz de Godoy die Leitung des Kinder- und Jugendchores der Hamburgischen Staatsoper. Die jungen Sängerinnen und Sänger stehen in Produktionen wie „Hänsel und Gretel“, „Carmen“ oder „La Bohème“ neben Ensemblemitgliedern und internationalen Gästen auf der großen Bühne der Staatsoper. Darüber hinaus sind sie mit dem Philharmonischen Staatsorchester unter anderem in der Elbphilharmonie und im Rahmen eigener Projekte in der opera stabile zu erleben.
Wir danken der Alster-Hof Melzner-Stiftung für die Unterstützung.
More about Alsterspatzen – Kinder- und Jugendchor der Hamburgischen Staatsoper
photo: Niklas Marc Heinecke
Orchester
Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg
Orchestra
The Philharmonic State Orchestra is Hamburg’s largest and oldest orchestra, looking back on many years of musical history. When the “Philharmonic Orchestra” and the “Orchestra of the Hamburg Municipal Theatre” merged in 1934, two tradition-steeped orchestras combined. Philharmonic concerts have been performed in Hamburg since 1828, artists such as Clara Schumann, Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms being regular guests of the Philharmonic Society. The history of the opera company goes back even further: Hamburg has been home to musical theatre since 1678, even if a regular opera or theatre orchestra was only formed later. To this day, the Philharmonic State Orchestra has embodied the sound of the Hansa City, a concert and opera orchestra in one.
During its long history, the orchestra encountered great artist personalities. Apart from composers of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, such as Telemann, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Mahler, Prokofiev and Stravinsky, since the 20th century chief conductors such as Karl Muck, Joseph Keilberth, Eugen Jochum, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Horst Stein, Aldo Ceccato, Christoph von Dohnányi, Gerd Albrecht, Ingo Metzmacher and Simone Young have shaped the orchestra’s sound. Renowned conductors of the pre-war era such as Otto Klemperer, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Karl Böhm and Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt gave brilliant performances, as did outstanding conductors of our times: suffice it to mention Christian Thielemann, Semyon Bychkov, Kirill Petrenko, Adam Fischer and Sir Roger Norrington.
Starting with the 2015/2016 season, Kent Nagano has taken on the position of Hamburg’s General Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Philharmonic State Orchestra and the Hamburg State Opera and since June 2023 also its honorary conductor. In his first season Kent Nagano initiated a new project, the Philharmonic Academy, focusing on experimentation and chamber music. In 2016, Nagano and the Philharmonic toured South America, followed by concert tours to Spain and Japan in 2019, and in the spring of 2023, the Philharmonic State Orchestra made its debut at New York's Carnegie Hall under his direction, which was acclaimed by audiences and the press. Since 2017 Kent Nagano and the Philharmonic State Orchestra have continued the traditional Philharmonic Concerts at the new Elbphilharmonie, for which they commissioned Jörg Widmann to compose the oratorio ARCHE, which was given its world premiere during the hall’s opening festivities. The concert recording has been released by ECM, for which Widmann received the OPUS KLASSIK as Composer of the Year 2019, and ARCHE was performed again in 2023 to great acclaim.
The Philharmonic State Orchestra offers approximately 35 concerts per season and performs more than 240 performances per year at the Hamburg State Opera and the Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier, making it Hamburg’s busiest orchestra. The stylistic bandwidth covered by the 140 musicians, ranging from historically informed performance practice to contemporary works and including concert, opera and ballet repertoire, is unique throughout Germany. Chamber Music has a long tradition at the Philharmonic State Orchestra: what began in 1929 with a concert series for chamber orchestra has been continued since 1968 by a series of chamber music only.
In 2008 Simone Young and the Philharmonic State Orchestra won the Brahms Award of the Schleswig-Holstein Brahms Society. The orchestra has recorded the complete Ring by Wagner as well as the complete symphonies of Johannes Brahms and Anton Bruckner – the latter in the rarely-performed original versions – as well as works by Mahler, Hindemith and Berg, and has released DVDs of opera and ballet productions by Hosokawa, Offenbach, Reimann, Auerbach, J.S. Bach, Puccini, Poulenc and Weber.
The members of the Philharmonic State Orchestra feel equally beholden to Hamburg’s musical tradition and responsible for the city’s artistic future. Since 1978 the musicians have been participating in education programmes in Hamburg’s schools. Today, the orchestra maintains a broad education programme, including school and kindergarten visits, patronage for music projects, introductory events for children and family concerts. The orchestra’s own academy prepares young musicians for their professional careers. The Philharmonic’s musicians thereby make an equally enjoyable and valuable contribution to tomorrow’s music education in the music metropolis of Hamburg.
More about Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg
photo: Foto: Felix Broede
