The music landscape of Saxony

Dresden Music Festival, Leipzig with Bach and Mendelssohn

At the invitation of the Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen, a selection of music and travel journalists and tour operators, myself included, was able to discover the fascinating music landscape of Saxony from 16 to 19 May 2019. The occasion was the opening of the 42nd Dresden Music Festival.

The festival orchestra under the direction of Ivor Bolton opened with the overture to the opera Euryanthe by C.M. von Weber, the Dresden opera singer René Pape performed songs by G. Mahler and, fittingly for the time of year, we listened to Robert Schumann's Spring Symphony.

Our stay was marked by a series of highlights: in the Elbe Valley we visited the home of Carl Maria von Weber, and in Leipzig the Mendelssohn House and the Bach Archive. In the Thomaskirche we enjoyed Bach's music with the Thomanerchor. The Gewandhaus Orchestra, known for its exceptional string sound, played Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, among other works. We, too, are now infected by its unmistakable sound. Incidentally, the new Gewandhauskapellmeister Andris Nelsons was on the podium. The Elbe Valley, the royal seat of Dresden and the music city of Leipzig left us utterly delighted.

Also worth mentioning are the excellent first-class hotels in the most central locations, the outstanding regional cuisine and the knowledgeable tour guides.