The Bayerische Staatsorchester

#BSO500 #BSOontour

In 2023, the Bayerische Staatsorchester celebrated its five hundredth anniversary, making it one of the oldest and most traditional ensembles in the world. The orchestra, which is based at the Bayerische Staatsoper, has 144 members and performs both in the orchestra pit and on the concert podium. In 2022, the orchestra was voted Orchestra of the Year for the eighth time in a row in the Opernwelt magazine critics' poll and was also honoured at the Gramophone Awards in London for its recordings on the Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings label as an opera and symphony orchestra (for Die tote Stadt and The Snow Queen as well as for Mahler's Symphony No. 7) - an unprecedented success in the history of the Gramophone Awards.

In 1811, the members of the court orchestra founded the Musikalische Akademie e. V. (Musical Academy Association), which established Munich's first public concert series with the Academy Concerts. To this day, the activities of the Musikalische Akademie continue to shape the musical life of Munich and the Free State of Bavaria. The activities in Munich are complemented by numerous guest performances and concert tours that regularly take the orchestra to the world's most important music centres.

The Bayerische Staatsorchester has staged several world premieres, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Idomeneo and Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg as well as Das Rheingold and Die Walküre. Many of the most important musical personalities of their time presided over the orchestra as principal conductors: from Hermann Levi, Richard Strauss, Felix Mottl, Bruno Walter and Hans Knappertsbusch to Sir Georg Solti, Joseph Keilberth, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano and Kirill Petrenko. The orchestra also enjoyed a close relationship with Carlos Kleiber. With the 2021/22 season, Vladimir Jurowski has taken over as General Music Director of the Bayerische Staatsorchester.

Awards

VLADIMIR JUROWSKI

Vladimir Jurowski, born in Moscow, began his musical training at the city’s conservatory, continuing his journey at the colleges of music in Berlin and Dresden. At the Bayerische Staatsoper he made his debut during the 2015/16 season at an academy concert featuring works including Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 3 and went on to conduct a new production of the composer’s opera The Fiery Angel. Furthermore, during the 2020/21 season he conducted the new production of Der Rosenkavalier. He has been as the General Music Director of the Bayerische Staatsoper since autumn 2021.

MUSICIANS of THE BAyerisches staatsorchester

 

500 YEARS OF BAYERISCHES STAATSORCHESTER

The history of the Bayerisches Staatsorchester began in 1523. From small beginnings in a courtly context, it gradually developed into a large opera orchestra, which soon also regularly performed symphonic works. Today, the Bayerisches Staatsorchester is one of the top international ensembles with members from twenty-four nations. In 2023, it celebrated its first 500 years - music for everyone at the highest level.

Unplugged for 500 years
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Bayerische Staatsoper RECORDINGS

Since May 2021, the Bayerische Staatsoper has been documenting its excellence, versatility and tradition with a new in-house label: Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings (BSOrec). 

Discover selected opera productions and concert recordings as well as important archive recordings on CD or DVD/BD. 

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