From the Lucerne Festival, 2004
Compare with the performance by Julia Varady and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the baton of Kurt Masur: https://youtu.be/sIsezAjeLgk
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Claudio Abbado – conductor
Renée Fleming – soprano
Richard Strauss – Vier letzte Lieder, für Sopran und Orchester
1:55 I. Frühling (Text: Herrmann Hesse)
5:40 II. September (Text: Herrmann Hesse)
10:33 III. Beim Schlafengehen (Text: Herrmann Hesse)
15:55 IV. Im Abendrot (Text: Joseph von Eichendorff)
Watch the full Lucerne Festival 2004 Gala Concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5xFL-iFh0Q&list=PLBjoEdEVMABJAFPDg-Hev9jQNglj5ZVhH
With the Lucerne Festival Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado, drawing together outstanding orchestral musicians and soloists such as Kolja Blacher, Natalia Gutman, Reinhold Friedrich and Sabine Meyer, a globally unique orchestra was formed, made sure of great moments and international headlines. This live-recording from the Concert de Gala 2004 includes the 4 Last Songs by Richard Strauss, with world star Renée Fleming and a concerto performance of the second act of Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan and Isolde featuring Violeta Urmana, Mihoko Fujimura and René
Pape.
“I have rarely heard any soprano attach such colour and dynamic shape…” Die Welt