Easter Festival 1989

[halcover1]

As you may imagine that was my last experience on Karajan life concert. The Festival itself had the interest of having Pavarotti
singing Cavaradossi in Tosca, again, as in 1988, without a real
Floria on the voice of Josephine Barstow. It had to be interesting
to be at the rehearsals and hear what there were talking about,
there is a showing those great artist talking to eachother.
The symphonic concerts were by Sir Georg Solti with the "Heroica"
and Kissin playing Tschaikowsky piano 1st like in Berlín on 31st
december, available on DVD.
The most interesting was to have the posibility to hear life the
Verdis' Rquiem. Initially Carreras was announced, was was changed by Vinson Cole, ¡what a pitty!. I assume you all have the
DVD in Sony with this Verdi's Requiem. Really, although the illness
from Karajan he was able to produce a phantastic performance with Anna Tomowa and the Singverein in their best.

Unlikely, that was the last concert with Karajan and the BPO, we
couldn't imagine that we he left the stage, it should be the last time we should see him alive. I keep the ticket of the concert as a
great treasure.

The program announced the 1990 with the Mass from J.S.Bach, of
course and unlikely that didn't happened. But it is amazing to
think how great was Karajan by programing such a work for the
following year leaving a side its own personal circumstances.

Really ¡what a character!

[halcover1]

I see the top referred to Easter Festival 2009. Of course it 1989

[Rosy]

Hello Jorge,

I hope you are well. Just today I read some reviews from the italian newspaper "La Repubblica" about that Verdi's Requiem. The musicologist stressed the impossibility of being able to hope to assist, in future, for a performance of such intensity. Other times I read: "Karajan, this time, has performed the Requiem for himself! " They said also that the Maestro wanted silence after the execution, and all the audience leave the Festspielhaus with a great disturbance in the soul.
Jorge, you have been a witness to the Karajan's Testament!
Thank you very much to make us partakers of such unique and unrepeatable moments!

*********************

Best Wishes
Rosy

[halcover1]

Rosy:

There were big applausses at the end of the Requiem, but Karajan didn't left the stage

[halcover1]

Rossy:

At the end of the Requiem there were applausses, but as Karajan was unable to leave the
stage, all the artist were bowing all together,and when they left they didn't come back. Karajan left the last one...and..forever

[john]

Jorge

Many thanks for the wonderful memories from Salzburg.

Unfortunately it appears that for whatever reason no radio broadcasts took place at the Easter Festival in 1989, however as you know (because I have sent you the CDs) I have 'In house' private recordings of both the Tosca and the Requiem, both are very high quality although as you might imagine the solist's sound a bit distant.

As you say the Requiem from 27-3-89 is a magical and moving performance, there is slight applause at the end of the work but this is stopped by Karajan, I have always assumed that Karajan shuffles off the stage and that's that.
The CD sound only carries on for a few seconds so I don't know what happened after that, according to Rosy and your previous posts there appears to be some further applause, did this start up again after Karajan's initial gesture to stop it?

John

[~Linda~]

May 1, 2009 19:01:25 GMT 1 halcover1 said:

I see the top referred to Easter Festival 2009. Of course it 1989

Hello Jorge

I have altered the date to 1989.

Thank you for posting your memories of Karajan's last concerts at the Easter Festival.

Best wishes

Linda

[Rosy]

Dear Jorge and John,

I have read the article again and I have noticed that it is dated 24th March, than it refers to the Requiem of 21st March! I apologize. However, Mr. Dino Villardi says this: " At the end, it feel the first applause; Karajan raises his hand and shake it as a sign of rejection; without turning he heads laboriously for the exit. Every step is for him an endless effort. The audience again tries to applause, Karajan silence them, so singers, the choir and the extraordinary old man, leaving tha stage. It's a moment of intense pathos. Karajan have conducted a kind of testament, a message to survivors! Silence is meditation."
Thank you, dear Maestro!

**********************

Rosy

[Rosy]

..I wonder: perhaps on 27 Mach, was Karajan unable to contain the irrepressible wave of applause? Because, in my humble opinion, it was his intention to end with an appopriate silence. Also in other sites, I've read that the Festspielhaus was plunged into a silence full of emotions and thoughts..(I refer to 21st March).
What do you think?

**********************

Rosy