Intermezzo #1: The Semperoper, Dresden

In 1841 the archtect Gottfried Semper built a  magnificent concert hall and opera house next to the Zwinger Palace in the heart of Dresden. It was named the Semperoper (Opera House) after its creator. Rebuilt after a fire in 1878, it was destroyed in the bombing raids of February 1945. Carefully reconstructed to Semper’s plans, it opened again in 1985. Tonight we went there for a symphony concert. First-rate conductor Tugan Sokhiev was conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle Orchestra, playing Dmitri Shostakovich”s Cello Concerto (soloist Sol Gabetta) and Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, one of our favourites.

The hall was splendid, the evening calm, with a pearly afterglow that made a magical backdrop for these buildings out of a fairytale. The Semperoper is worth visiting just for itself.

The young woman cellist played with talent and energy. Her gown distracted more than a little from the music - it looked like a shower curtain with see-through sides and back. Male soloists aren’t expected to display their torsos while playing; I don’t see why woman soloists should be expected to display flesh as well as talent. (Neil: I don’t mind!)

The Bruckner symphony was a revelation. Bruckner can come across as monumental and heavy, but Sokhiev’s reading was inspiring from the first notes. Power, tenderness, deep feeling, rich orchestral textures; driving rhythms and shimmering veils of sound. The performance blew us away. Not just us! The applause rolled on for ten minutes. Altogether a special occasion, and one we will remember with great pleasure.Read more