New general music director – Thielemann celebrates start at the State Opera with Igor Levit – Culture

Berlin (dpa) – Christian Thielemann celebrates his official start as general music director at the Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden at a concert with star pianist Igor Levit. The program for the inaugural concert on Monday includes works from high and late romanticism as well as a contemporary piece, as the State Opera announced.

Levit interpreted the second piano concerto by the composer Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847). The program of the Staatskapelle Berlin concert also includes Arnold Schönberg’s (1874-1951) tone poems “Pelleas and Melisande” and “Elysium” by the Canadian composer Samy Moussa.

The 65-year-old Thielemann, most recently chief conductor of the Saxon Staatskapelle Dresden, succeeded Daniel Barenboim, who had to give up the post due to illness. Barenboim is expected at the inaugural concert on Monday evening at the State Opera, a spokeswoman said. He is “doing well at the moment given the circumstances.”

Another concert with the same program is planned in the Philharmonie on Tuesday (October 8th).

© dpa-infocom, dpa:241006-930-252660/1