Cristian Măcelaru and the WDR Symphonieorchester announce their 2022/23 season
Cristian Măcelaru and the WDR present their 2022/23 season
WDR Sinfonieorchester presents the 2022/23 season
75 years of diversity and innovation
On September 2, 2022, the WDR Sinfonieorchester will open the 22/23 concert season in Cologne together with new resident artist Augustin Hadelich and under the direction of principal conductor Cristian Măcelaru. Hadelich's residency reinforces his ties with the orchestra and will feature in eight concerts with works by Dvořák, Beethoven and Sibelius.
Before the official start of the season in the Cologne Philharmonie, guest appearances will take the WDR Sinfornieorchester to the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London in August 2022, to the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and to the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The soloist is Augustin Hadelich, the conductor is Cristian Măcelaru.
In addition to renowned artistic personalities such as Sir Andrew Davis and Isabelle Faust, Renaud and Gautier Capucon and Iveta Apkalna, the WDR Sinfonieorchester has invited the younger generation of conductors to make their debuts. Marie Jacquot, Cornelius Meister and Petr Popelka will conduct the WDR Ensemble in concerts in Cologne and Dortmund.
“What began 75 years ago in black and white is now entering a colorful, modern and forward-looking playing field”, says WDR's artistic director Tom Buhrow. The WDR Sinfonieorchester will celebrate its 75th birthday on October 28 and 29, together with the WDR Radio Choir, the NDR Vocal Ensemble, and girls and boys from Cologne Cathedral Music. The selection of works includes retrospection and topicality at the same time. In a groundbreaking recording of the Carmina Burana for the orchestra, composer Carl Orff was present and in close exchange with the conductor of the production at the time, Wolfgang Sawallisch. In the “Concerto for Orchestra” by Witold Lutoslawski, the orchestra demonstrates its virtuoso skills and recalls its collaboration with the conductor and composer. Măcelaru and his orchestra look to the 21st century with the world premiere of “Pentimento” by composer Zosha di Castri.
Chief conductor Cristian Măcelaru continues his Rachmaninoff focus and his interpretation of all Brahms symphonies in the new season. The season kicks off with concerts at the BBC Proms featuring Brahms' Symphony No. 3 and the opening concert in Cologne with Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2.
Măcelaru and the WDR Sinfonieorchester will continue to deepen the outreach aspect of their work in the coming season. Strengthening cultural participation and expanding digital offerings remain important concerns. The fact that the number of views of videos produced by the orchestra in 2021 has increased sixfold compared to 2019 is both confirmation and incentive, and the idea of outreach is also constantly creating new impetus in the analog space. For example, an education project for school classes as part of WDR@Phil presents music by György Ligeti in interdisciplinary contexts.
A matter close to the heart of principal conductor Cristian Măcelaru is the cooperation with the Banatul Philharmonic Timişoara. As cultural ambassador of his hometown Timişoara, which will be European Capital of Culture in 2023, Măcelaru will lead a joint project with members of the Romanian ensemble and the WDR Sinfornieorchester in March 2023. Mahler's Symphony No. 3 will be performed.