History
The past styriarte years
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For a long time Kurt Jungwirth, member of the Styrian provincial government competent for cultural affairs, had been trying to persuade Nikolaus Harnoncourt to participate in a music festival in his home town of Graz. In 1985, the "Year of Music", Harnoncourt surprisingly finds a free slot in his time schedule because one of his other projects had to be cancelled. And equally surprisingly, the styriarte Music Festival appears on the music scene - with Wolfgang Schuster, member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as artistic director and Andrea Herberstein as general secretary. Johann Sebastian Bach is in the centre of the first styriarte Festival; the St. John Passion and St. Matthew Passion, performed by the Concentus Musicus under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt in the Cathedral of Graz, are the highlights of this first styriarte Festival. |
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The second season of the Styrian classical music festival is dedicated to a passionate Italian: Claudio Monteverdi. Harnoncourt conducts Monteverdi's Vespers ("Vespro della Beata Vergine") in the unique atmosphere of the Cathedral of Graz. However, a semi-opera production performed in the Schauspielhaus Graz (Graz Theatre) leaves the most profound impression: Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas" with Roberta Alexander and Thomas Hampson in the title roles and the Concentus Musicus under Harnoncourt in the orchestra pit. In spite of this opera highlight, the Festival also suffered a drawback: budgetary problems led to the resignation of Wolfgang Schuster, the Festival's artistic director. |
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Joseph Haydn is the star of the styriarte Festival 1987, and for the first time Nikolaus Harnoncourt directs the young Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Haydn's last six London symphonies are performed in the Stefaniensaal; this event lays the foundation for a brilliant artistic cooperation which will lead to great moments for an innovative orchestra and an unconventional conductor in the years to come. "A Feast for Haydn", performed in Eggenberg Castle (Schloss Eggenberg), turns out to be a unique box-office hit - no other performance in the next few years can live up to the success of this event. For the first time, ticket sale revenues surpass the one million mark with a total of about ATS 1.6 million. |
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In the Festival year dedicated to Franz Schubert, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe performs a cyclic production of Schubert’s symphonies directed, of course, by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Until 1988 the Cathedral of Graz and the Mariatroster Kirche, a small pilgrimage church, are the main venues for Harnoncourt's interpretation of sacral music. The demand for tickets rises, the programme becomes more varied, and ticket sale revenues amount to approximately ATS 2.7 million. Nevertheless, Andrea Herberstein resigns after the 1988 Festival and is succeeded by Christopher Widauer as programme director. |
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The styriarte Festival 1989 is dedicated to Mozart. Nikolaus Harnoncourt, with his Concentus Musicus and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir, take over the Parish Church of Stainz as a venue for Mozart's sacral music. The triad Mozart-Stainz-Harnoncourt does not only succeed in establishing the legendary myth of the styriarte Festival, but also brings about a series of unique CD recordings produced by Teldec. "A Feast for Mozart", with an open-air production of Mozart's "Il Re Pastore" in the vast park of Eggenberg Castle, has all the makings to become one of the styriarte classics - unfortunately heavy rain thwarts this event. |
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Beethoven's music is the central theme of the styriarte Festival 1990. Harnoncourt launches his legendary cycle of Beethoven symphonies and the Teldec CD recordings sell enormously well and spread the fame of the styriarte Festival all over the world. Gert Jonke's Beethoven theatre sonata "Gentle Rage or the Engineer of the Ears", which was commissioned by the styriarte Festival, is performed in the Schauspielhaus (Graz Theatre); the Orpheum, a concert hall, is chosen as a styriarte venue but is not well received by the styriarte audience. The Festival again has a negative balance and Christopher Widauer resigns. |
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Harnoncourt's Beethoven cycle is concluded with Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. With the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the former specialist for old music now focuses on Mendelssohn who, together with Johann Joseph Fux, is the focus of the styriarte Festival 1991. Edita Gruberova evokes genuine storms of enthusiastic applause from her audience in the Stefaniensaal with her recital of Mozart arias. A Baroque horse ballet is part of the 1991 Festival's scenic production performed in the park of Eggenberg Castle. Since 1991 Mathis Huber has served as programme director of the styriarte Festival. Ticket sales surpass the three million mark with revenues of ATS 3.5 million. |
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From 1992 on, the styriarte Festival is no longer dedicated to one composer but focuses on a central theme. The theme of the 1992 Festival is a "Summer Night Dream". In the centre of the Festival are Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Nights Dream" and "Walpurgis Night" performed by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Purcell's "Fairy Queen" performed by the Concentus Musicus - all three music events are conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The styriarte framework programme has the motto "A fantastic nightly journey from medieval times to the present". |
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The central theme of the styriarte Festival 1993, "Sites and Sounds", represents a unique challenge for the Festival. The programme allows visitors to enjoy the magnificent atmosphere of Graz, the capital of the Austrian province of Styria, in the small church Kalvarienbergkirche, the Mausoleum or other magnificent venues which are all perfect settings for these divine sounds. Jordi Savall and his ensemble participate for the first time in the styriarte Festival. |
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The central theme of the styriarte Festival 1994, "Fractures and Links", weaves a close web of European music ranging from 14th century Ars Nova to the New Music scene of the present; for instance in a surprising encounter between the Hilliard Ensemble and Jan Garbarek (Gothic meets Jazz). Nikolaus Harnoncourt directs a production of Fidelio (concert form) with an all-star cast. "The Impresario" by Mozart is the first joint project of Josef Hader and Nikolaus Harnoncourt. In 1994, ticket sale revenues rise to approximately ATS 5.7 million. |
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The eleventh styriarte Festival follows in the "Traces of the Mythical", moving from a small Roman quarry in Wagna, where theatre magician Gigi Tapella attempts to explore the myths revolving around the Roman poet Ovid, to Eggenberg Castle where Thomas Höft presents the legendary myths of the castle in a musical journey. Nikolaus Harnoncourt sets a high standard with his interpretation of Schubert's masses Mass in E flat major and Mass in A flat major. He also finances and thus makes possible a styriarte project for children: The Magic Flute in a circus big top performed by children for children. The 1995 styriarte programme offers more than thirty music events over a span of three weeks and ticket sale revenues exceed the 6 million mark. |
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The styriarte Festival 1996 presents itself in a new design – well suited for the Festival's central theme of "Simply Classical". The Festival explores the field of classical music which very often serves as an umbrella term for the entire range of European Art Music. Nikolaus Harnoncourt explores new avenues in Graz: he takes up the cudgels for Robert Schumann, the opera composer, and directs Schumann's opera "Genoveva" with an all-star cast. 93% of all styriarte tickets are sold. |
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The styriarte Festival continues its focus on classical music and compares fragmentary musical pieces with monumental works. Under the central motto of "... and yet more glorious hopes..." (taken from Grillparzer's funeral oration for Franz Schubert), the realm of classical music is explored by focusing mainly on music by Schubert and Brahms under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The recital of Brahm's entire symphonies by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the performance of Schubert's fragmentary oratorio "Lazarus" are two milestones of the 1997 Festival season. Another highlight is the first performance of Schubert's unfinished opera score "Der Graf von Gleichen" ("The Count of Gleichen") in Richard Dünser's version. For the first time, the styriarte Festival lasts four weeks and presents 35 musical events. |
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The Festival embarks on a new cycle of themes exploring the elemental desires of mankind and pursuing at the same time the eternal motifs of art. "Paradise Lost?" is the central theme of the Festival allowing visitors to delve into the realm of dreams: the dream of the lost Garden of Eden and the return to Paradise. With Schumann's oratorio "Paradise and the Peri", Nikolaus Harnoncourt places another central piece of Romantic music in the centre of the styriarte Festival and takes up the cudgels for opera composer Joseph Haydn. Starring Cecilia Bartoli in the title role, "Armida" is one of the highlights of the festival. |
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Under the theme of "Tell me, Love!", taken from a poem by Ingeborg Bachmann, the styriarte Festival 1999 explores the words and the sounds of love - from medieval times to the present. Nikolaus Harnoncourt unexpectedly breaks new ground and brilliantly directs two Wagner operas (Tristan, Tannhäuser), contrasted by a tantalising programme revolving around Brahm's "Love Song Waltzes". Il Giardino Armonico, the famous Italian musical ensemble, also explores new avenues with its first opera programme - a scenic production of Claudio Monteverdi's "Orfeo" in the Schauspielhaus Graz (Graz Theatre). Jordi Savall closes the Monteverdi cycle of the styriarte Festival with Monteverdi's "Madrigals, Book 8". In three different events, the styriarte Festival also presents the oeuvre of the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. The 1999 Festival programme includes 42 events and 26,000 tickets are sold. |
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The myth of the building of the Tower of Babel is the focus of the styriarte Festival 2000, focusing on the origin and evolution of social groups and cultural diversity. Under the central theme of www.babel.vg, the styriarte Festival explains how encounters between different cultures lead to an abundant richness of spirit. Nikolaus Harnoncourt explores the luring appeal of the "Danube Monarchy", Jordi Savall presents the multicultural Andalusia before 1500 and the Jazz Big Band Graz focuses on New York, the famous melting pot of cultures. With Handel's "Agrippina" under the direction of Christian Pöppelreiter, Il Giardino Armonico lives up to its fame as an extra class opera orchestra and abducts styriarte visitors to the Rome of Emperor Nero in a former industrial production hall. Another promising cooperation is initiated in the styriarte Festival 2000: Nikolaus Harnoncourt commences a series of Beethoven piano concertos together with the French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who until then was known as an interpreter of New Music. |
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The antithesis to Babel, Utopia, is the focus of the styriarte Festival 2001. Under the central theme of "...transported to a better world", the Festival continues its search for the legendary myths of the Tower of Babel and presents the Utopias of mankind in the form of music. Nikolaus Harnoncourt continues his "Danube Monarchy" project (Dvorák, Bartók and Beethoven) and sets a new standard with his first interpretation of the Verdi Requiem. Viktor Ullmann's opera "The Emperor of Atlantis", which was composed in the Theresienstadt concentration camp, is performed in a former tramway garage under the direction of Christian Pöppelreiter and the musical direction of Peter Keuschnig; the opera is a touching manifesto of hope in the face of death. The Austrian composer Gösta Neuwirth is in the centre of the styriarte-"Personale" presented by the Klangforum Wien and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir. Several performances of the 2001 styriarte Festival have to be repeated due to the great demand for tickets, for instance, a Beethoven piano concert by the outstanding Graz pianist Markus Schirmer. The styriarte "Landpartie" takes visitors to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Lambrecht where they can indulge in the Utopia of the "theocratic state" of Saint Augustine in an event lasting 20 hours. In 44 musical performances, the Festival attracts about 23,000 visitors; ticket sale revenues rise to approximately ATS 10 million. |
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"...den Blick nach oben" ("...looking upwards"), the central theme of the styriarte Festival 2002, embraces prayers, pleas and inspirational works of praise musically directed to heaven by the world's greatest composers over the span of a millennium. Nikolaus Harnoncourt sets out on a search for the divine with musical pieces by Beethoven, Schubert and Haydn; with Haydn's "Ode for St. Cecilia's Day", he concludes his six-year musical cycle focusing on the religious fears of the late Haydn in revolutionary times. A former tramway garage again serves as the festival hall for an opera: the next generation of the Harnoncourt family presents J. A. Hasse's "Piramo e Tisbe", an opera for three persons. The work of Austrian composer Florian Geßler can be heard across the city's roofscape when the bells of Graz's Schlossberg swing into action at the premier of his unique composition. The styriarte Festival also sets out on several pilgrimages: with the story-teller Helmut Wittmann, visitors set out on a pilgrimage to the small Slovenian church of Sveti Duh, with Lorenz Duftschmid and his Armonico Tributo, to the Weizberg Church, a Baroque pilgrimage church, and with Jordi Savall, to the monastery church of the Benedictine Abbey of Seckau. In a five-part cycle of concerts named "Night Time at the Minorites Monastery", young composers are searching for the divine at a late hour. Handel is awarded a chance to be heard twice: first with his early piece "La Resurrezione", performed by the Il Giardino Armonico, and as the final event of the styriarte Festival 2002 with his "Messiah", presented by the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and the Concerto Köln. Approximately 25,000 visitors bring a plus of 9 per cent and revenues of about 780,000 Euro to the styriarte Festival 2002. |
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The styriarte Festival 2003 celebrates "The Power of Music" with Offenbach's "La Grand-Duchesse de Gérolstein", a brilliant musical theatre production directed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and under the stage direction of Jürgen Flimm. Nikolaus Harnoncourt presents five projects in total. With Pierre-Laurent Aimard, he stages the final, missing piano concert in the styriarte cycle of Beethoven concerts, and, with a magnificent production of "Alexander's Feast" by Handel, he conjures up the power of music, the motto of the styriarte |
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In 2004, the styriarte Festival sets off on a melodious journey through a wealth of different musical periods under the motto of "From Time to Time". Nikolaus Harnoncourt pays his tribute to God's heavenly time with Biber's Requiem in f minor in Stainz and his brilliant interpretation of Telemann’s vision of the end of time in "The Day of Judgement". With Beethoven's Triple Concerto, the genius of the styriarte Festival brings his interpretation and recording of the entire set of Beethoven concertos for piano and orchestra to a much acclaimed end, joined by Pierre-Laurent Aimard, one of the most outstanding pianists. With Schubert"s Rosamunde, he takes up the cudgels for the much underrated incidental music of the Age of Romanticism. |
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Under the motto "Sensual", the styriarte 2005 sets off with an internationally acclaimed opera production: Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Andrea Breth present Bizet's Carmen in the Helmut-List concert hall. Nora Gubisch and Kurt Streit in the leading roles cause as much sensation as the soloists in Harnoncourt's second opera production of the styriarte 2005: Patricia Petibon, Werner Güra, Michael Schade and Christian Gerhaher are superbly accompanied by the Concentus Musicus Wien in Haydn's orchestra version of Orlando Paladino. Nikolaus Harnoncourt also presents two more enigmatic male characters: Egmont in Beethoven's great piece of incidental music and the penitent David in Mozart's Cantata Davidde penitente. |
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In the Mozart Year the "finally happy" styriarte focused also on another great composer: Robert Schumann. Nikolaus Harnoncourt interpreted in conjunction with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe Schumann's monumentally splendid "Faust-Scenes" with an "exquisite balance of tension between a tender idyll and dramatic art" (Ernst Naredi-Rainer, Kleine Zeitung), a "finely tuned exhibition of shimmering colours" (Martin Gasser, Kronen Zeitung). |
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The styriarte festival 2007 set out on a quest for the continent of Europe and European identities within four weeks. And its audience followed enthusiastically! We are especially happy that both artists and audience asked questions about, reflected, and discussed history, identity and future of a common European culture with such an interest and curiosity - no sign of Europe-fatigue! |
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"Everything flows" - and at the end of the styriarte festival 2008 it is clear that in fact lots of people got carried away by the power of music, by the idea and by the performances of the festival. This year's festival about the theme "water" set new standards - programmatic and qualitative standards. |
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