The Staatskapelle Berlin kicks off its tour in Canada
The Staatskapelle Berlin began its tour of Canada and the USA at the weekend with two concerts in Toronto. According to the Staatskapelle on Monday, there were standing ovations at both concerts for the first performance in Canada in the orchestra's more than 450-year history.
The originally scheduled conductor Daniel Barenboim had to cancel the tour due to illness. The 81-year-old was replaced in Canada by Lithuanian conductor Giedrė Šlekytė. The 34-year-old was reportedly the Staatskapelle's first female conductor on an international tour.
This Tuesday in Chicago, 42-year-old Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša will make his debut with the orchestra. At the concerts in New York on November 30 and December 1 and in Philadelphia on December 3, Yannick Nézet-Séguin (48), Music and Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director of the Orchestre Métropolitain and the Metropolitan Opera, will conduct the Staatskapelle.
As General Music Director of the Staatsoper, Barenboim also took over the Staatskapelle in 1992, which gained an international reputation under his direction. His opera contract was originally due to run until 2027. For health reasons, he handed over the musical direction of the Staatsoper at the beginning of the year. In 2000, the Staatskapelle had elected him chief conductor for life - this is now only an honorary position. His successor will be Christian Thielemann, who will join the Berlin opera house as General Music Director for the 2024/2025 season.
Despite the ill health of Daniel Barenboim, many people still applauded during the Staatskapelle Berlin's classical music performances in Toronto's theater. Giedrė Šlekytė, the first female conductor on an international tour with the orchestra, led the first concert in Canada.
Source: www.dpa.com
