Franz Liszt – 200th Birthday Anniversary Events in Dresden

When Franz Liszt first visited Dresden in 1840 he was hailed as the ‘pop star’ of piano music. It’s no wonder that Franz Liszt fell in love in Dresden.

In 1844 Liszt travelled to Dresden with the dancer Lola Montez, with whom he had a passionate affair. Dresden is also where Liszt made the acquaintance of conductor Hans von Bülow (who was born in this city) and Richard Wagner. First von Bülow, and then later Wagner, married Liszt’s daughter Cosima.

So, with all of Liszt’s Dresden connections, it’s fitting that the city of Dresden should join the music world in celebrating the 200th birthday anniversary of this great composer and piano virtuoso in 2011.

The Dresden State Orchestra of Saxony, the Dresden Philharmonic, Dresden Music Festival and the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden (named after another great composer) will all be honouring this great composer with numerous concerts featuring music by Franz Liszt.

At the Semper Opera House, for instance, Christian Thielemann will conduct Liszt’s symphonic masterpiece ‘A Faust Symphony’ at a special concert marking the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth. The program opens with ‘A Faust Overture’ by Richard Wagner.  Wagner, the former court director of music in Dresden, maintained a lively correspondence with Liszt on the subject of Faust, before becoming his son-in-law despite being only two years his junior.

Contacts:
www.semperoper.de
www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de
www.musikfestspiele.com
www.hfmdd.de

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