On July 10, Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra make their Munich debut as they perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral” and Symphony No. 7 at Munich’s Philharmonie. The Bavarian capital is the first stop of their 2012 “Beethoven for All” European tour. Launched in August 2010, the “Beethoven for All” project presents all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies across four continents, guided by the belief that, in Barenboim’s words, “Beethoven’s music is universal… no matter where in the world – it speaks to all people.” Accompanying their tour, a complete CD box-set of Beethoven’s symphonies, recorded live at the Cologne Philharmonic, will be released in June on Decca Classics.
The European “Beethoven for All” tour will include performances in Versailles (July 13), Berlin (July 29), and Salzburg (August 2). Details about concerts in Spain will be announced as soon as they become available.
Barenboim and WEDO also travel to London for the BBC Proms, where they perform all of Beethoven’s symphonies in concerts at the Royal Albert Hall beginning July 20 and culminating in a final concert on July 27, when Barenboim and WEDO perform Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. This landmark performance of Beethoven’s Ninth and the work’s signature celebration of shared humanity in its “Ode to Joy” coincide with the opening day of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The concert promises to bring new vitality and meaning to the kindred missions of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and the Olympic Games.
Go to the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra’s website.
Barenboim leads Filarmonica della Scala in concerts in Paris, Frankfurt, and Milan this January
Vienna Philharmonic and Barenboim to perform together at Salzburg’s annual Mozart Week