Over the next month, Andris Nelsons takes the helm at the Grosser Saal leading the Gewandhausorchester. On December 20, 21 & 22, Nelsons conducts the ensemble in a program of Wagner’s Prelude to Act 1 of Parsifal and Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony. Nelsons and the prolific ensemble have already released three albums as part of their multi-album Bruckner series on the Deutsche Grammophon label. More information and links to purchase the recordings is available via Nelsons’ Recordings.

Andris Nelsons and the ensemble have paired Bruckner and Wagner in previous concerts and recordings because “both Bruckner and Wagner had strong connections to the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 had its world premiere with the orchestra, which was Bruckner’s first resounding success. Wagner in turn was born in Leipzig and spent his formative years witnessing major works premiered by the orchestra.”

On December 29, 30, 31 & January 1, Nelsons leads the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, MDR-Rundfunkchor, GewandhausChor, and GewandhausKinderchor in Beethoven’s celebratory Ninth Symphony. Joining the ensemble onstage are additional soloists, including soprano Lucy Crowe, mezzo-soprano Violeta Urmana, tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, and baritone Luca Pisaroni. For more information and tickets, visit the Gewandhausorchester website.