Dvořák in New York

About this event

The FREUNDE-Orchester, the orchestra of the Friends of the Alte Oper, comes together every two years for a large-scale concert in the Großer Saal. This time the roughly 30 musicians join forces with the Cäcilienchor Frankfurt, the Heidelberger Bachchor, and soloists Guanqun Yu (soprano) and Thomas Faulkner (bass). Under the baton of Klaus Albert Bauer, the evening celebrates ideas of departure and discovery. The concert opens with the lively Allegro ma non troppo from Dvořák’s 'American' String Quartet, arranged for string orchestra. Then follows the majestic Te Deum, a work of thanksgiving and exultation that Dvořák premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1892 to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival. The highlight is his ever-popular Symphony No. 9 'From the New World', a piece that blends Czech folk melodies with the spirit of America, inspired by the composer’s own voyage to New York. The proceeds benefit the Alte Oper itself, reflecting the community-minded character of the house. Expect a warm, celebratory atmosphere with a rich choral-orchestral sound and two charismatic soloists: Guanqun Yu, a Chinese soprano admired for her radiant lyric coloratura, and the resonant American bass Thomas Faulkner.