Programme

Programm 21. July 2024, 11 am 21. July 2024, 8 pm
3. August 2024, 8 pm
Nürnberger Symphoniker
Alle Wege führen nach Hollywood

A classical open air in symphonic widescreen sound - under the motto " Alle Wege führen nach Hollywood", the Nürnberger Symphoniker and their chief conductor Jonathan Darlington present a concentrated load of powerful pieces that were written for films of the dream factory or point to the opulent musical Hollywood style. With composers such as Korngold, James Horner and John Williams, big names of the genre are on the programme. The programme also features two star soloists whose breathtaking artistry will have audiences everywhere in raptures: multi-percussionist Alexej Gerassimez on drums and accordion virtuoso Martynas Levickis, a world champion on his instrument, which he himself describes as 'his magic bag of tricks'.

Did you know, …

  • that Erich Wolfgang Korngold - long before his legendary Hollywood film scores - wrote a ballet as a composing child prodigy at the age of eleven, which was immediately premiered at the Vienna State Opera?
  • that 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the creation and premiere of George Gershwin's immortal, timelessly modern "Rhapsody in Blue"?
  • that the American James Horner is one of the most creative and successful Hollywood composers of all time, with well over one hundred film scores, two Oscars and two Golden Globes as well as countless nominations and awards?
     
Concert programme
"Alle Wege führen nach Hollywood"

Norbert Nagel (*1960)
Fanfare

Erich-Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957)
Sea Hawk:
Main Title - Reunion - Finale 

Eric Coates (1886-1957)
London Suite:
Knight Bridge

John Psathas (*1966)
Leviathan for Percussion and Orchestra:
Excerpts

Sergei Rachmaninow (1873-1943)
Symphoniy No. 2 e-Minor:
4. movement Allegro vivace

- PAUSE - 

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Candide:
Ouverture

Sparda-Wunschstück

George Gershwin (1898-1937)
Rhapsody in Blue for Accordion and Orchestra

Harold Arlen (1905-1986)
(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow

James Horner (1953-2015), Arr. Paul Bateman
Titanic:
My heart will go on 

John Williams (*1932)
Stars Wars:
Main title

Sparda-Wunschstück

Once again this year, visitors to the Klassik Open Air can help shape the concert programme of the Nürnberger Symphoniker with their personal "Sparda-Wunschstück". Information will be announced in good time here and on social media.
The following works are available: 

Picture: Nikolaj Lund
Alexej Gerassimez
Soloist - Percussion

Essen-born percussionist Alexej Gerassimez is a phenomenal virtuoso and creative musician. His repertoire includes classical music, new music, jazz, minimal music and his own compositions. The world premiere of John Psathas' concerto "Leviathan" with the Rundfunksinfonieorchester Berlin under the direction of Markus Poschner, which was tailor-made for him, was followed by concerts at the Elbphilharmonie, the Tonhalle Düsseldorf and in New Zealand. In the 2023-2024 season, he was artist-in-residence in Düsseldorf and Augsburg and toured with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. He performs throughout Europe with his percussion group and partners such as pianists Arthur and Lucas Jussen and jazz pianist Omer Klein. Alexej Gerassimez is Professor of Percussion at the University of Music and Theatre in Munich.

Martynas Levickis
Soloist - Accordion

Martynas Levickis is one of the most sought-after accordion soloists in the world. After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, he won "Lithuania's Got Talent" in 2010 and has received over 30 international awards. In 2020, he released his first album with Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", followed by Piazzolla's "Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas" (2021) and "Autograph" (2023). For the latter, he was honoured with the OPUS KLASSIK as "Instrumentalist of the Year 2023". Levickis has played with the Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig and the National Philharmonic Orchestra Vilnius, among others, and has performed in renowned concert halls and festivals. In 2023 he was " Preisträger in Residence" of the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. He leads the Mikroorkéstra ensemble and founded a composers' academy for accordion music.

 

[Translate to English:] Foto: Sebastian Madej
Picture: Torsten Hönig
Jonathan Darlington
Conductor

Jonathan Darlington, born in Great Britain, has been Chief Conductor of the Nürnberger Symphoniker since September 2022. He was previously Music Director of Vancouver Opera for almost 20 years and General Music Director of the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra (2002-2011). Darlington is known for his perfectly structured concert programmes that take the audience on musical journeys. He has conducted renowned ensembles such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Current highlights include concerts with the Orchestra of the 18th Century, a new production of "Die Zauberflöte" at the Leipzig Opera and the world premiere of Detlev Glanert's opera "Die Jüdin von Toledo" at the Semperoper Dresden. Darlington is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London and recipient of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres for his services to French culture.

Picture: Torsten Hönig
Nürnberger Symphoniker
Orchestra

The Nürnberger Symphoniker have been inspiring audiences with their artistic quality and stylistic range since 1946. Around 200,000 people attend their 100 or so performances each season. At the symphonic concerts in the Meistersingerhalle, the focus is on classical-romantic repertoire, while in the orchestra's own music hall they present cross-genre projects from pop, jazz, film and literature. Advent concerts, the music summer in the Serenadenhof and the Klassik Open Air offer a variety of musical experiences. Getting young people interested in classical music with age-appropriate and interactive projects is a particular concern of the symphony orchestra. The spearhead of this strategy is U-TURN | das Orchestival, a new format that combines digital video art, light installations and hands-on elements. In addition, projects with schoolchildren (Symphoniker im Klassenzimmer), concerts for people with dementia and a chamber music tour of Nuremberg's museums round off the programme.

Picture: Bernd Wegener
Roland Kunz
Moderation

Roland Kunz has been working in journalism and radio presenting for over 30 years. Known for his format "Music for Young Ears", he presents classical music with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie. He also runs the SR podcast "Interpretationssache", which was nominated for the "Deutscher Radiopreis" and in which he puts different musical interpretations in relation to each other.
His entertaining way of communicating music has been honoured several times. His broad expertise as a musician enriches his journalistic work and gives his moderations a unique depth and authenticity.