Olga Neuwirth (b. 1968)

[bhodges]

Surprised to find no thread on this vital composer, one of today's most imaginative. And what better way to kick off things than with the world premiere of Orlando, staged earlier today at the Vienna State Opera. It is the first opera composed by a woman in the company's 150-year history. You can listen to it here:

https://oe1.orf.at/player/20191208/585163/1575827988000

On December 18, the final performance will be livestreamed from the company's website. (I believe you have to download the VSO's app to view.)

--Bruce

[GioCar]

Hoped to find somewhere a video recording of that performance... no way, unfortunately 
The Vienna State Opera is streaming most of their production for free in these days, but not that one.

Anyway, I find this album quite good and representative of her kaleidoscopic works

[not edward]

Surprised to find no thread on this vital composer, one of today's most imaginative. And what better way to kick off things than with the world premiere of Orlando, staged earlier today at the Vienna State Opera. It is the first opera composed by a woman in the company's 150-year history. You can listen to it here:

https://oe1.orf.at/player/20191208/585163/1575827988000

On December 18, the final performance will be livestreamed from the company's website. (I believe you have to download the VSO's app to view.)

--Bruce

For the record, it is possible to find an audio recording of this on the internet. If you need help, PM me.

Neuwirth and I got off to a bad start; the first piece of hers I heard live was Clinamen/Nodus under Boulez in 2000 and I didn't get it at all, other than that it sounded "angry," but I enjoy her music now. The disc that converted me was this one of bassoon works played by the wonderful Pascal Gallois (not all Neuwirth, but three of the five pieces on it are):

[asin]B001JK7US0[/asin]

It's frustrating how little of her work is available on disc (& how so much of what is available on disc are comparatively early pieces). But Kairos has recently released a recording of more recent works with orchestra, which shows a clear stylistic mellowing towards a more Bergian world.

[asin]B07XW5X693[/asin]

[bhodges]

Congratulations to Olga Neuwirth, winner of the 2022 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, which comes with a €250,000 award. The ceremony will be in June in Munich, with Ensemble intercontemporain performing some of her works, conducted by Matthias Pintscher.

https://www.boosey.com/cr/news/Ernst-von-Siemens-Music-Prize-2022-Awarded-to-Olga-Neuwirth/101895

--Bruce

[bhodges]

For the record, it is possible to find an audio recording of this on the internet. If you need help, PM me.

Neuwirth and I got off to a bad start; the first piece of hers I heard live was Clinamen/Nodus under Boulez in 2000 and I didn't get it at all, other than that it sounded "angry," but I enjoy her music now. The disc that converted me was this one of bassoon works played by the wonderful Pascal Gallois (not all Neuwirth, but three of the five pieces on it are):

[asin]B001JK7US0[/asin]

It's frustrating how little of her work is available on disc (& how so much of what is available on disc are comparatively early pieces). But Kairos has recently released a recording of more recent works with orchestra, which shows a clear stylistic mellowing towards a more Bergian world.

[asin]B07XW5X693[/asin]

Sorry not to have responded to this earlier! That Gallois bassoon recording is excellent, and like some other composers, Neuwirth seems to respond to that instrument—as well as others with low timbres.

Meanwhile, just discovered this live recording from October with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor Matthias Pintscher, of Masaot/Clocks Without Hands (2013), which I heard in a few years ago at Carnegie Hall, with Franz Welser-Möst and the Cleveland Orchestra. It's quite a piece, and Pintscher and the Detroit crew do it full justice (with excellent audio and video).

https://www.dso.org/watch-listen-and-connect/dso-replay/collection/787618/matthias-pintscher-conducts-olga-neuwirth-and-beethoven

-Bruce

[Mandryka]

Prometeo vibes in Neuwirth's Le Encantadas 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xJNAHGm9kQ&ab_channel=g%C9%B9inblat