Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2024

♪♪♪ -Next on "Great Performances"... Amidst the beautiful baroque gardens at Schoenbrunn, the stage is set for The Vienna Philharmonic's annual Summer Night Concert.

This year Maestro Andris Nelsons and the orchestra are joined by the acclaimed Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen.

-[ Singing in German ] ♪♪♪ -And in Vienna, the festivities must surely include a waltz by Strauss.

[ Waltz playing ] Music on a summer night starts right now.

-From the beautiful baroque gardens at Austria's imperial summer palace of Schoenbrunn, the Vienna Philharmonic and a crowd of more than 100,000 eager music lovers welcome Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons to the stage for the 2024 Summer Night Concert.

[ Applause ] They begin the festivities with Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries."

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] The Summer Night Concert this year focuses on popular works from the 19th and 20th centuries that highlight Europe's rich musical heritage, opening with two works by Richard Wagner -- his "Ride of the Valkyries," and next, Elisabeth's aria from his opera "Tannhaeuser."

In the opera, the hero, a medieval lyric poet and singer, has captured the heart of the princess Elisabeth in the town's song contest.

Upon hearing of his return, she enters the great hall, scene of his triumph.

Now the audience welcomes to the stage the Norwegian opera singer and recitalist Lise Davidsen for "Dich, teure Halle" -- "Dear hall, I greet you once again."

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -[ Singing in German ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Lise Davidsen made a triumphant debut in "Tannhaeuser" at the Wagner Bayreuth Festival in 2019, where the international press hailed her as the voice of the century.

Next, the orchestra celebrates the bicentennial of the eminent Czech composer Bedrich Smetana with three works -- the first, the popular "Vltava," or "The Moldau."

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] The previous piece, a rondo, paints a musical picture of the Czech Vltava River, known in German as the Moldau.

From its source in the Bohemian Forest to its majestic passage through Prague, it describes the life along its banks, from hunters' horns to peasant wedding dances, as it rushes on to the historic Czech capital.

Next we'll hear a polka Smetana wrote for his opera "The Two Widows."

When an older couple who has each lost a spouse finds love together during a harvest festival, the villagers celebrate their happiness with a merry polka.

[ Applause ] [ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] Andris Nelsons and the Vienna Philharmonic performed the final polka from "The Two Widows."

From Smetana's beloved opera "The Bartered Bride" comes his spirited "Dance of the Comedians."

In front of the inn on the village green, the circus performers give the villagers a sample of their acts.

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music stops abruptly ] [ Music continues ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] In "La forza del destino," Giuseppe Verdi sets the plight of two ill-fated lovers, Alvaro and Leonora, within the larger context of Italy's quest for independence from Austria.

The overture, which we'll hear next, overflows with themes from the opera itself outlining the lovers' destiny.

The opening three unison notes for the brasses represent their fates, and recur each time destiny deals the lovers yet another blow.

[ Applause ] Conductor Andris Nelsons is both music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.

A highlight of his long-standing relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic was their recording of all the Beethoven symphonies at the composer's 250th birthday.

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music stops abruptly ] [ Music continues ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] The powerful "La forza del destino" overture was played by the Vienna Philharmonic, led by Andris Nelsons.

In a moment, Lise Davidsen will return to the stage to sing an aria from the opera.

After an inexorable series of misfortunes have pursued the lovers Don Alvaro and Leonora, they separate.

In despair, Leonora has retired to a life of prayer.

There, in one of the most moving and beautiful arias in opera, she beseeches God to end her joyless life.

It begins with the shattering cry of "Pace" -- "peace."

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ -[ Singing in Italian ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] -"A soprano cements her stardom in the Met's new 'Forza,'" raved The New York Times of Lise Davidsen's performance this past February.

Her tour de force was captured by the Metropolitan Opera for air on "Great Performances" just this summer.

The composer Augusta Holmès may be unknown to many today, but she was widely acclaimed in 19th-century France -- so admired that she was singled out to write the triumphal Ode for the 1889 Paris World's Fair, the centennial of the French Revolution.

Her orchestral interlude, "La nuit et l'amour," "Night and Love," had debuted a year earlier in 1888 in Paris.

Transcribed for piano, it was a hit and played in parlors around the world.

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] Next, Khachaturian's immensely popular "Sabre Dance" was part of the composer's 1942 ballet "Gayaneh."

During Armenian wedding festivities, the young men show off their skills with swords.

In the dance, a marimba intones the melody against the comic slides of the trombones, propelling the piece to its exciting end.

Those of a certain age may recall the spinning plate routines to this music on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] One of the 20th century's greatest composers, Dmitri Schostakowitsch, originally wrote the next piece as part of a film score.

His inclusion of instruments associated with dance bands -- four saxophones, guitar, and accordion -- creates a casual, circus-like atmosphere in the piece.

Its fame soared when Stanley Kubrick used it in the opening moments of his last film, "Eyes Wide Shut."

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Applause ] Now, don't you think it's about time for a little Viennese music?

One of Emmerich Kálmán's most successful operettas, "The Csárdás Princess," premiered here at the Johann Strauss Theater in 1915, before capturing the Broadway and London stages.

This charming story explores the love affair between an Austrian aristocrat and a sultry Budapest nightclub singer.

Lise Davidsen returns to the stage for "My Homeland Is in the Mountains."

The singer has noted that her voice type is suited to the dramatic repertoire in which her characters are either dying or in disastrous love affairs.

For her, there are not so many fun up-tempo numbers.

So she's especially happy to sing this csárdás, which mixes Hungarian exoticism with Viennese charm.

Heia!

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -[ Singing in German ] [ Rhythmic clapping ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪♪ ♪ Bravo ♪ ♪ Bravo ♪ ♪ Bravo ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -The first Summer Night Concert took place in 2004 -- exactly 20 years ago -- and even today, the concept of making classical music accessible to the widest possible audience as a gift to music lovers everywhere still characterizes the event.

This free concert in the park is just one of the ways the Vienna Philharmonic continues to broaden the reach of classical music to more people.

Each year, the Vienna Philharmonic performs an average of 40 concerts in Vienna, including the New Year's Concert and this Summer Night Concert.

Added to these are its summer residency at the Salzburg Festival and an additional 50 concerts on its international tours.

All of these activities underscore the reputation of the Vienna Philharmonic.

Only a musician from the Vienna State Opera orchestra can become a member of the ensemble.

Performing in both groups, after a three-year waiting period, they are then eligible for full membership in the Vienna Philharmonic.

For 180 years, this orchestra has been influential in the course of musical history and believes that as cultural messengers, their performances should express the ideals of peace, humanity, and reconciliation.

Now as every year, the orchestra with maestro Andris Nelsons bids farewell with Johann Strauss' "Wiener Blut," his "Viennese Spirit" waltz.

[ Orchestra plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Music ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] To find out more about this and other "Great Performances" programs, visit pbs.org/ greatperformances, find us on Facebook, and follow us on X.

Summer Night Concert 2024 is available on Blu-ray, DVD and CD.

To order, visit shopPBS.org or call 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

[ Applause ] [ Applause continues ]