Salzburg

"His music is poetry," writes Kian Soltani in his own liner notes for his much-anticipated, all-Schumann release. Together with Camerata Salzburg, the young cellist simultaneously plays and conducts the monumental Cello Concerto, as well as orchestrated songs. Additionally, the album includes a smattering of Soltani's most cherished lieder transcriptions, accompanied by pianist Julien Quentin.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt is credited with making historical performance practice respectable in Salzburg. His memorable debut concert in 1980 was the prelude to a long string of successes that culminated in the Mozart Week 2006, when Harnoncourt was Artist in Residence and gave his acclaimed ceremonial address on 27 January on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. The inaugural concert and rehearsals from 2006 can be heard on this album. The 3-Discs edition covers the period of Harnoncourt’s influence on the interpretation of Mozart’s music. Between 1980 and 2006, the conductor succeeded in persuading both musicians and audiences to be receptive to new playing and listening habits, while he personally evolved from a pioneer of historical performance practice to an acclaimed maestro. When Harnoncourt made his debut at the Mozart Week Salzburg on 27 January 1980, concert audiences were under the spell of conductors such as Karl Böhm.

"His music is poetry," writes Kian Soltani in his own liner notes for his much-anticipated, all-Schumann release. Together with Camerata Salzburg, the young cellist simultaneously plays and conducts the monumental Cello Concerto, as well as orchestrated songs. Additionally, the album includes a smattering of Soltani's most cherished lieder transcriptions, accompanied by pianist Julien Quentin.

Mozart's opera seria tells of the King of Crete who is saved from a terrible storm by promising the gods that he sacrifice the first person he meets when reaching land, only to be greeted by his beloved son Idamante. In this Salzburg staging under Sir Roger Norrington Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas sings the title role, with Czech mezzo Magdalena Kozena giving an acclaimed performance as Idamante. Salzburg favourite Anja Harteros is the jealous Elettra, with Ekaterina Siurina as Idamante's beloved Ilia.