"This Is Richard Strauss"

Two straight nights of the Dresden Staatskapelle -- "hail maestro Luisi!"

Photo courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

The Dresden Staatskapelle concluded its Asia tour in Seoul with two different programs this past weekend.

Maestro Fabio Luisi (who also heads the Dresden Staatsoper) lead the 461-year-old "Richard Strauss orchestra" for a definitive performance of "Ein Heldenleben,'' Op. 40, Saturday, and a formidable "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (woohoo! Space Odyssey), Sunday.

The full, bursting colors of the fortes took my breath away, but the commanding power in the pianissimos were... simply... amazing. The amazing Emaneul Ax performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Strauss' Burleske for Piano and Orchestra.

Encores included Bruch's Overture to "Oberon" and Mr. Ax played a Liszt piece... argh I can't recall the title. Anyway two nights of DSK felt like binging on caviar and champage.

Read an email interview with maestro Luisi.