Starring Soprano Anna Netrebko
Premieres Friday, August 17 at 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)
Led by guest conductor Valery Gergiev, the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic returns for its 15th open-air concert, with the Baroque gardens of Austria’s Imperial Schönbrunn Palace serving as the magnificent backdrop. The program features internationally acclaimed soprano Anna Netrebko as a special guest soloist and celebrates Italian operatic masters, with works by Rossini, Verdi and Puccini. Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2018 premieres nationwide on THIRTEEN’s Great Performances Friday, August 17 at 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) and will be available to stream the following day via pbs.org/gperf and PBS apps.
This summer night of Italian splendor begins with a stirring rendition of the finale to Rossini’s William Tell Overture and closes with “Wiener Blut,” the timeless Strauss waltz that demonstrates the Viennese spirit of love for their homeland. The telecast marks Valery Gergiev’s third time conducting the Summer Night Concert and his 150th appearance with the orchestra. This free outdoor concert allows the distinguished orchestra to make classical music accessible beyond its usual core audience. The annual event is produced by the ORF, and transmitted live or delayed in more than 80 countries worldwide.
The full musical program includes:
Rossini
William Tell Overture, Finale
Cilea
Adriana Lecouvreur: “Io son l’umile ancella,” featuring Anna Netrebko
Mascagni
Cavalleria rusticana: Intermezzo
Verdi
Aida: Triumphal March and Ballet
Prokofiev
Romeo and Juliet: Suite No. 2, No. 1. Montagues and Capulets
Puccini
Tosca: “Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore,” featuring Anna Netrebko
Puccini
Manon Lescaut: Intermezzo
Leoncavallo
Pagliacci: “Stridono lassù,” featuring Anna Netrebko
Encore:
Puccini
Gianni Schicchi: “O mio babbino caro,” featuring Anna Netrebko
Strauss II
“Wiener Blut” (Viennese Spirit), waltz
Production Credits:
In past years, the concert has been conducted by Bobby McFerrin (2004), Zubin Mehta (2005 & 2015), Plácido Domingo (2006), Valery Gergiev (2007 & 2011), Georges Prêtre (2008), Daniel Barenboim (2009), Franz Welser-Möst (2010), Gustavo Dudamel (2012), Lorin Maazel (2013), Christoph Eschenbach (2014 & 2017) and Semyon Bychkov (2016).
Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2018 was directed for television by Michael Beyer. For Great Performances, John Walker and Richard R. Schilling are producers, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.
Series Overview:
Great Performances is produced by THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers. Throughout its more than 40-year history on PBS, Great Performances has provided viewers across the country with an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming.
Underwriters:
Major funding for Great Performances is provided by the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Irene Diamond Fund, Rosalind P. Walter, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, The Agnes Varis Trust, The Starr Foundation, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Abra Prentice Foundation, and PBS. Exclusive corporate support for the telecast is provided by Rolex.
