Ludwig van Beethoven Missa solemnis. Concert dedicated to the inauguration of the restored Frauenkirche, Dresden

"The Missa solemnis" in D major, Op. 123 was written in 1819-1823 and first performed in 1824.

The mass was conceived by Beethoven in 1819 in connection with the appointment of Archduke Rudolf, who had studied with Beethoven in his youth, as Archbishop of Olmütz. Beethoven completed it only four years later. The first performance took place on the initiative of Prince Nikolai Golitsyn, who patronized Beethoven, on April 7, 1824, performed by the Court Singing Chapel in St. Petersburg. A month later, on May 7, it was performed at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna.

A festive concert dedicated to the ceremonial opening of the restored Frauenkirche in Dresden took place in 2005. After the bombing of Dresden on 13 February 1945, the church burned down and its dome, called the "Stone Bell", finally collapsed. The rebuilt church is a symbol of hope and reconciliation, reminding people of history. In the beautiful hall of the Frauenkirche, the beautiful music of Ludwig van Beethoven is performed by the Saxon Staatskapelle Dresden under the direction of Fabio Luisi.

PERFORMERS:

Saxon Staatskapelle

Schapel Choir

Conductor - Fabio Luisi

Soloists:

Camilla Nylund

Brigit Remmert

Christian Elsner

René Pape

Frauenkirche, Dresden, 2005