PABLO FERRÁNDEZ

The opera »Der Freischütz« marked a significant breakthrough for Carl Maria von Weber, the father of Romantic opera. The Wars of Liberation had just rekindled national consciousness when the work premiered on 18 June 1821, the sixth anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Shortly afterwards, the work, in which a wolf’s glen becomes the setting for desperate love, ghostly choirs, and devilish magic bullets, was celebrated as the first German national opera. The overture alone, to this romantic horror opera, enjoys great popularity in concert halls, with the battle between good and evil flashing before the mind’s eye in just a few minutes. With this miniature drama, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, under the baton of Manfred Honeck, sets the stage for further symphonic highlights. With profound emotional depth and tireless energy, Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández tackles Joseph Haydn’s cello concerto, which bears the hallmarks of the late Baroque. His playing combines technical brilliance with an exceptionally warm, song-like tone. Already hailed by critics as the “new Yo-Yo Ma,” Ferrández is today one of the most fascinating and sought-after cellists of his generation. The German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra rounds off its programme with Mozart’s magnificent ‘Jupiter Symphony’ as a grand finale. Incidentally, the breathtaking constructions of the symphony finale went down in history. From then on, music history no longer regarded the final movements of symphonies as a mere flourish, but as the main piece. Mozart already put the best at the end – but judge for yourself.

This concert is part of the Festival-Subscription III.

Unfortunately, Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s recovery from a finger injury is taking longer than expected. To his great regret, he must therefore cancel all concerts until the summer break in 2026. This means he will also be unable to perform at the Ludwigsburg Castle Festival as planned—a concert he had been very much looking forward to. He sincerely thanks you for your understanding. Thankfully, the internationally renowned Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández will take over the concert. Tickets already purchased will, of course, remain valid.