Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt
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Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt
The Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt is a symphony orchestra based at Rudolstadt in Thuringia.
During the reign of Count Ludwig Günther I of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the orchestra appears as the "Rudolstädter Hofkapelle" in historic documents of 1635. Among the early music directors were Philipp Heinrich Erlebach (1657-1714) and Traugott Maximilian Eberwein (1775-1831), who ensured a rich musical life. Eberwein performed several new works by Beethoven in Rudolstadt during the composer’s lifetime, including the Symphony No, 9 in 1827.
The Hofkapelle also accompanied all opera performances in the newly opened Rudolstadt Theatre from 1793 onwards, which was used by the Goethe’s ensemble of the Weimar Court Theatre from 1794 to 1803. Among the operas were Weber's Der Freischütz (1822) and Auber's Die Stumme von Portici (1828) - shortly after their premieres. Richard Wagner gave a guest performance in Rudolstadt for six weeks in 1834. At this time he was the young music director of the Bethmann opera company. The Rudolstadt Theatre staged Tannhäuser in 1855.
Famous instrumental virtuosos played with the orchestra, such as Niccolò Paganini in 1829 and Franz Liszt in 1844.
After the foundation of the Free State of Thuringia in 1919, the theatre was given the status of a state theatre and the orchestra was renamed "Thüringer Landeskapelle Rudolstadt". On 24 and 25 September 1921, the music director Ernst Wollong, together with the directors of the "Deutsche Musikabende" and the "Städtische Singakademie", organised the first "Historisches Musikfest" in Rudolstadt at the Heidecksburg Palace. Otto Hartung and Hans Swarowsky were also important conductors in the period between the two world wars. In 1928 Eugen d'Albert conducted the orchestra for the performance of his opera “Die toten Augen” at the Heidecksburg Palace.
The Landeskapelle Rudolstadt was unified with the state symphony orchestra of the neighbouring town of Saalfeld after the German reunification, which had existed for 40 years, under the new name "Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt". The theatre director Peter P. Pachl from Bayreuth attempted to revive the Rudolstadt festival tradition. A cooperation with the Landeskapelle Eisenach began in 1995, but ended in 2003.
Since 1997, Oliver Weder is the music director. The orchestra offers a rich programme of symphony and palais concerts as well as numerous special, youth and children's concerts in both cities. In addition, the orchestra accompanies the music theatre performances at the Rudolstadt Theatre. The Thüringer Symphoniker cooperate with the music theatre ensemble of the Theater Nordhausen for the music theatre programme.
The orchestra also released CD recordings of instrumental works from the historical Rudolstadt music collection.
Since 2008 the orchestra has also participated at the annual Dance and Folk Festival Rudolstadt (TFF), playing with Arlo Guthrie and Juan José Mosalini, among others.
References
https://theater-rudolstadt.de/theater-ensemble/thueringer-symphoniker/