Andris Nelsons at the Lucerne Festival

Synopsis

Dmitri Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony, which was written in the pivotal months after the Battle of Stalingrad, follows the principle of triumph through adversity – ‘per aspera ad astra’ – not just musically, but also conceptually: Everything that is dark and shameful will perish; everything that is beautiful will triumph.’ This ‘triumph,’ though, is restrained. The Eighth is a large-scale work that ends in something like a pastoral mood, played pianissimo; poses of jubilation were not in Shostakovich’s nature. The concert opens with the delightful, lively Overture to ‘Rienzi.’ And the ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’ from ‘Salome’ shows the fin-de-siècle’s enigmatic penchant for decadence.

Additional Info

• No: A955004740000
• Composer: Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, Dimitri Schostakowitsch
• Conductor: Andris Nelsons
• Orchestra: Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest
• Production year: 2011
• Run time: 01:39:00
• Director: Ute Feudel
• Producers: UNITEL in cooperation with Lucerne Festival and CLASSICA
• Format: HDTV