High-caliber Schumann and Mahler at Dvořák’s Prague

Daniele Gatti

Staatskapelle Dresden

Kirill Gerstein

By Frank Kuznik, 15 September 2025

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“a dazzling rendering of Mahler’s journey from darkness to light”

Reviewed at Rudolfinum: Dvořák Hall, Prague on 14 September 2025

Schumann, Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54

Schumann, Blumenstück in D flat major, Op.19

Mahler, Symphony no. 5 in C sharp minor

Kirill Gerstein, Piano

Staatskapelle Dresden

Daniele Gatti, Conductor

Schumann from the inside out: Yunchan Lim and Staatskapelle Dresden

SangKwon Lee, 1st February

Yunchan Lim seldom seeks the spotlight in a reflective, conversational account of Schumann's Piano Concerto, conducted by Myung-whun Chung.

*****

Thielemann bids farewell to Dresden with an excellent new FroSch

Ako Imamura, 27th March

David Bösch directs a creative and thoughtful new production of Die Frau ohne Schatten at the Semperoper in Christian Thielemann's final opera as Principal Conductor.

*****

Detlev Glanert's Die Jüdin von Toledo premieres at the Semperoper

Zenaida des Aubris, 10th February

Robert Carsen stages the world premiere production of Glanert's opera, based Franz Grillparzer's 1851 play, in stringent, minimalist style.

*****

Moving singing, but missed opportunities in Dresden’s new Aida

Zoltán Szabó, 17th March

Katharina Thalbach offers a traditional staging at the Semperoper, with fine vocal performances led by Krassimira Stoyanova, Francesco Meli and Oksana Volkova.

***11

Prom 63: Explosive Rachmaninov from Yuja Wang

Stephen Pritchard, 5th September

Outstanding playing from soloist and Staatskapelle Dresden makes this a Prom to remember.

*****

Peter Konwitschny returns to the Semperoper with Les Huguenots

Laura Servidei, 29th June

John Osborn leads a very successful premiere of Peter Konwitschny's new production of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots in Dresden

****1

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Frank Kuznik

Frank Kuznik is the former Editor-in-Chief and Culture Editor of The Prague Post, Central Europe’s premier English-language weekly newspaper. He currently divides his time between Prague and his hometown in the US, Cleveland, where he covers northeast Ohio's dynamic classical music scene. In Prague he is an habitué of the Rudolfinum, National Theater, State Opera and other storied classical music venues, and an unabashed fan of Czech music.

High-caliber Schumann and Mahler at Dvořák Prague Festival