The Berlin Philharmonic annual European Concerts are intended to recall the date on which the orchestra was founded, 1st May 1882, with a performance being given on this day in a different town or city of particular cultural and historical importance. In 2002 it was the turn of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, one of Europe’s most important opera houses both artistically and architecturally. In a programme of much-loved pieces from the classical repertoire, with the celebrated Gil Shaham as soloist,Abbado once again demonstrated how he upheld the unsurpassed orchestral tradition of the BPO with his profound music-making. Viewers of this concert, broadcast all over Europe, were inspired to see the maestro so relaxed, gesticulating so emphatically.This was the last time in his 12 years as the orchestra’s artistic director that the revered Italian maestro Claudio Abbado conducted a European Concert.
Bonus Film:A Portrait of Palermo
NTSC 16:9, PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1
Region code: 0,Audience: all
Language: German (Bonus)
Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian
Booklet notes: English, German, French
Running time: 112 mins + 20 mins (Bonus)
March 2010
*****
“The visual element of DVDs can be distracting, but it can also add fascinating insights into a concert: seeing Claudio Abbado, gaunt but still elegant in his movements, gives extra pleasure, especially in the purely orchestral works. The real highlight of the concert is the Dvorák New World Symphony, with the Berlin players audibly and visually playing at full stretch, and imbuing the music with both colour and strength.”
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