DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON INTRODUCES
DG STAGE – THE CLASSICAL CONCERT HALL:
AN ONLINE DESTINATION FOR LIVE PERFORMANCES BY THE WORLD’S LEADING ARTISTS
- New venture presents varied schedule of long-form recitals and orchestral concerts as well as vocal and opera productions
- Anna Netrebko heads all-star cast in open-air production of Tosca from Naples
- 2020 Bayreuth Festival to play out in virtual form over five-week period
- Summer programme includes one-off ticketed performances by John Williams with Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Wiener Philharmoniker, Benjamin Bernheim, Rudolf Buchbinder, Ludovico Einaudi, Christoph Eschenbach, Elīna Garanča, Víkingur Ólafsson, Alice Sara Ott, Grigory Sokolov and Rolando Villazón
Deutsche Grammophon’s commitment to great music, inspirational artists and new technology is set to grow this month with the launch of DG Stage – The Classical Concert Hall. The Yellow Label’s pioneering online venture, developed from its DG Premium service, gets underway at the end of June with the first in a series of long-form concerts starring world-class artists. The initiative offers international audiences access to a broad range of classical concerts exclusively produced live on tape for DG Stage and performed by superstars from Universal Music Group’s peerless family of artists.
“Thanks to the amazing energy and creativity of our artists, our partners and the team here at DG, we’re now able to stage a hugely attractive and varied online festival this summer via our new DG Stage portal,” comments Dr Clemens Trautmann, President Deutsche Grammophon. “This means that despite concert cancellations, music-lovers will still have the opportunity to enjoy high-quality, tailor-made event programming – this is something we’re very proud to present.”
The DG Stage schedule will feature at least one ticketed event per week, starting on Sunday 28 June with a chamber recital from pianist Alice Sara Ott. This will be followed by a concert from pianist Víkingur Ólafsson with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and Christoph Eschenbach (3 July). Cellist Kian Soltani will give a recital on 12 July, while on 16 July tenor Rolando Villazón and harpist Xavier de Maistre will present a programme of Latin American songs. Villazón is delighted to be performing on DG Stage: “Deutsche Grammophon is a truly innovative and committed label. In next to no time its team has managed to establish a way of connecting audiences with great performances and keeping music live. Xavier and I have been working hard on this fabulous repertoire – now we have the opportunity to share it with people all over the world.”
Benjamin Bernheim echoes this sentiment: “DG’s new platform will allow me – and many of my amazing colleagues – to perform live for an international audience,” he says. “It’s exciting to be part of this new way of experiencing classical music, one that ensures its presence in today’s multimedia world.” The French tenor will be appearing on 19 July.
Forthcoming DG Stage highlights also include the world premiere presentations of recent iconic concert productions from Hollywood legend John Williams with Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Wiener Philharmoniker (10 July), and from Ludovico Einaudi (24 July), the former recorded at the fabled Vienna Musikverein, the latter at Berlin’s Waldbühne.
Opera-lovers have a range of treats in store later in the summer, including an open-air production of Puccini’s Tosca staged at the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples by the Teatro San Carlo and starring Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov and Ludovic Tézier (30 July). “We’re thrilled at the thought of being back on stage,” say Netrebko and Eyvazov. “Presenting Tosca to the world from this stunning outdoor theatre will be an unforgettable experience.” For those wanting the fully immersive Wagnerian experience, meanwhile, DG Stage will also host a comprehensive programme from the 2020 Bayreuth Festival, presented in virtual form over five weeks, beginning on 25 July.
Looking further ahead, the classical concert hall will offer an equally diverse and entertaining schedule of events throughout August. Among those appearing on DG Stage will be mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča, acclaimed worldwide for her vocal and dramatic artistry, and pianists Rudolf Buchbinder, particularly renowned for his insightful interpretations of Beethoven, and Grigory Sokolov, whose reputation for charismatic solo performances is unrivalled today.
Tickets for DG Stage performances can be paid for securely online using all major credit cards or via the usual payment providers and will offer online concertgoers access to one-off events broadcast in state-of-the-art audio and visual quality. Prices will range from €4.90 to 12.90, depending on the scale and format of the production.
DG Stage: Concerts
28 June Alice Sara Ott
3 July Víkingur Ólafsson & Christoph Eschenbach
10 July John Williams with Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Wiener Philharmoniker
12 July Kian Soltani
16 July Rolando Villazón & Xavier de Maistre
19 July Benjamin Bernheim
24 July Ludovico Einaudi
25 July Bayreuth Festival (5 weeks)
30 July Anna Netrebko
Further concerts to be announced.