DomStufen-Festspiele in Erfurt 2009
Carmina Burana – the "Songs from Benediktbeuern" – ranks among the most popular works in vocal music. Carl Orff came across the printed edition of a medieval manuscript more or less by chance. It contained drinking and love songs written in Latin and Middle High German. At the heart of the work lies the idea that human life is ruled by fate, symbolized by the wheel of the goddess Fortuna. Orff was particularly fascinated by the interplay of Christian and classical themes, which ultimately inspired him to compose his scenic cantata Carmina Burana. The music is marked by a striking use of percussion, powerful choral passages, and richly melodic solos.
Carmina Burana was a resounding success at the very first DomStufen-Festspiele in Erfurt 1994 and returned to the cathedral steps in a new production in 2009.
Premiere / August 8, 2009
Cast
Soprano Christa Maria Dalby, Julia Neumann | Tenor Marwan Shamiyeh, Robert Wörle | Baritone Peter Schöne, Máté Sólyom-Nagy
Film Concert: An Italian Straw Hat
Directed and Written / René Clair
Music / Benedict Mason
Conductor / Enrico Calesso
Erfurt Philharmonic Orchestra