Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024 at 6 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS app
A long-standing annual event, GREAT PERFORMANCES presents the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s summer night concert from Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace Gardens. Focusing on popular works from the 19th and 20th centuries that highlight Europe's rich musical heritage, the concert celebrates the bicentennial of distinguished Czech composer Bedřich Smetana with three musical compositions.
The orchestra is led for the second time by Andris Nelsons, Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Gewandhauskapellmeister of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, with internationally acclaimed soprano Lise Davidsen as guest soloist, who performs arias from Richard Wagner's “Tannhäuser” and Giuseppe Verdi's “La forza del destino.”
Musical program:
- “The Ride of the Valkyries” from “The Valkyrie” – Richard Wagner
- “Dich, teure Halle, grüß ich wieder” from “Tannhäuser” – Richard Wagner
- “The Moldau” from “My Homeland” No. 2 – Bedřich Smetana
- “Polka” from “The Two Widows” – Bedřich Smetana
- “Dance of the Comedians” from “The Bartered Bride” – Bedřich Smetana
- Overture to "The Force of Destiny” – Giuseppe Verdi
- “Pace, pace mio” aria from “La forza del destino” – Giuseppe Verdi
- “La Nuit et l'Amour” interlude from Ludus pro patria – Augusta Holmès
- abre Dance from “Gajaneh” – Aram Iljitsch Khatschaturjan
- Waltz No. 2 from the Suite for Variety Orchestra – Dmitri Schostakowitsch
Encore
- “Heia, in den Bergen ist mein Heimatland” from “The Csárdás Princess” – Emmerich Kálmán
- “Wiener Blut” Waltz – Johann Strauss
Noteworthy Facts:
- This is the second time music conductor Andris Nelsons is conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s summer concert.
- International opera star Lise Davidsen makes her debut with the Vienna Philharmonic.
- 2024 marks the 20th year the Vienna Philharmonic has performed the Summer Night Concert from the Schönbrunn Palace Gardens in Vienna.
- The Summer Night Concert has been transmitted in more than 80 countries worldwide.
Watch On Your Schedule: GREAT PERFORMANCES is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO.
Credits: A production of Wiener Philharmoniker and ORF in association with The WNET Group, Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2024 is directed by Henning Kasten and produced by Edith Hisch, with Karin Veitl as supervising producer; Martin Traxl is production executive. For GREAT PERFORMANCES, John Walker is writer, Bill Kabel is producer, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.
