Staatskapelle Dresden provides scintillating finish for Prague Spring

Staatskapelle Dresden

Daniele Gatti

Verdi's Requiem in Smetana Hall

Eleonora Buratto, Elīna Garanča, Benjamin Bernheim and Riccardo Zanellato

By Frank Kuznik, 06 June 2026

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“under Gatti’s baton there was drama in almost every bar”

Reviewed at Municipal House: Smetana Hall, Prague on 4 June 2026

Verdi, Messa da Requiem

Staatskapelle Dresden

Daniele Gatti, Conductor

Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien

Johannes Prinz, Choirmaster / chorus director

Eleonora Buratto, Soprano

Elīna Garanča, Mezzo-soprano

Benjamin Bernheim, Tenor

Riccardo Zanellato, Bass

Staatskapelle Dresden’s sonic alchemy at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 2nd June

From the earthy joy of Meistersinger to the sublime textures of Debussy, Daniele Gatti channels the Dresdeners' legendary, layered warmth into an unforgettable evening of pure acoustic luxury.

****1

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.

*****

High-caliber Schumann and Mahler at Dvořák’s Prague

Frank Kuznik, 14th September

Daniele Gatti and Kirill Gerstein offer fresh, invigorating takes on two warhorses with the Staatskapelle Dresden.

*****

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

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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.

Staatskapelle Dresden provides a scintillating finish for Prague Spring