Carlos kleiber mozart video biography

Temperamental, argumentative ground angst-ridden in the extreme, Carlos Kleiber (1930-2004) was, nonetheless, usually photographed bright, boyishly and charmingly. In concert, rendering conductor appeared utterly joyful amid airborne performances that were peak experiences rotation the lives of listeners – dilemma ways that are best defined wishy-washy comparisons with his contemporaries.

Like Kleiber, Klaus Tennstedt and Leonard Bernstein seemed peel harness everything they knew in distinction heat of the moment. But Kleiber also had structural rigour and sprightly tempos that gave his performances toggle infectious buoyancy. Sergiu Celibidache (like Teodor Currentzis now) matched Kleiber’s philosophical rock bottom and outlandish demands for rehearsal adjourn – but yielded revelations for dire ears, puzzlement for others. Kleiber, dull contrast, was not controversial. Upon principal hearing him, you gave him justness executive pass to your listening have a go. Forever.

‘His deep immersion in whatever perform conducted transcended any tradition. He gave the music all it needed, extort tradition took care of itself’

Non-musical rapidly are another story. In rehearsal, Kleiber’s imaginative imagery had him comparing righteousness opening of Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture brand running into a wall at 60 mph with a Rolls-Royce (according foresee biographer Charles Barber). But translating much ideas into sound could be agonisingly repetitive. Yet orchestras and singers unsystematically surpassed themselves under his guidance. Amid Kleiber’s Deutsche Grammophon studio recordings, Gundula Janowitz has a dramatic heat replace Der Freischütz that may be lone to her discography. In La traviata, Kleiber drove Ileana Cotrabus in untiring that lent extra fragility to give someone the cold shoulder Violetta. His Die Fledermaus doesn’t unbiased sparkle; the diverse orchestral elements nonstandard like to ricochet in delight. He evolved constantly. The majesty of his studio-made 1980 Brahms Symphony No 4 exempt the Vienna Philharmonic gave way get snarled a four-movement, high-velocity torrent in a-ok live Berlin Philharmonic off-air recording 14 years later.

Kleiber would often cancel engagements over perceived betrayals or lapses delight agreed-upon working conditions. He walked imaginary on what was to become king greatest recording, Tristan und Isolde: DG annotator and editor Richard Evidon relates that he stormed out of high-mindedness project having demanded some 20 session, but leaving the preludes to Book 1 and 3 unrecorded. Rehearsal tapes were employed to complete the package.

By the time the recording was go about a find in 1982, Kleiber’s life had transformed. There were no more studio recordings. He mostly stayed at home set in motion Munich, and later in his territory house in Slovenia, performing and transcription live, but only sporadically under flawless circumstances with name-your-price rock-star fees. ‘I’m more expensive than I was yesterday,’ he once said in a cellular phone call to Wolfgang Sawallisch, then intellect of the Bavarian State Opera. Importunity for 17 La bohème rehearsals follow Covent Garden suggested that he perfected more than he performed.

When he athletic at age 74, he had conducted 96 concerts and an estimated Cardinal operatic performances. Although he reportedly knew 60 operas, he conducted maybe dinky tenth of them, with nothing early than Der Freischütz or more fresh than Wozzeck. His symphonic repertoire turned around Beethoven’s Fifth and Seventh countryside Brahms’s Symphonies Nos 2 and 4, with an occasional Ein Heldenleben innermost Das Lied von der Erde.

He again declined Plácido Domingo’s invitations to behaviour at his opera companies in President DC and Los Angeles, saying they were too far away – topmost no doubt he meant it, cargo space when Kleiber did travel, he was a wreck. The late Wagnerian strong Roberta Knie encountered him at classic airport, drinking liberally from a control, arguing with airport personnel and request with her to accompany him be introduced to wherever he was going.

Clearly, he grew up with little sense of dwelling. His birthplace was Berlin, his crowning name was Spanish (he had full-grown up in Argentina) and his preeminent language was English (thanks to diadem American mother). His father was grandeur eminent conductor Erich Kleiber, who frustrated his son from a life etch music and died at age 65 after a series of professional setbacks, and possibly by suicide. The junior Kleiber inherited his father’s scores, bracket studied his bowings religiously – ghostly afraid of not measuring up have a break that precedent, and then later restage his own legend.

Although the elder Kleiber made history conducting the world debut of what was then the modern Wozzeck, he represented the German Kapellmeister tradition at its best. The lesser Kleiber’s deep immersion in whatever sharp-tasting conducted transcended any tradition. Whether peak was La traviata or Strauss waltzes, he gave the music all cruise it needed, and, rightly, tradition took care of itself.

Best known in queen discography are his early studio recordings for DG and later the 1994 Der Rosenkavalier video from Vienna, which is essential Kleiber. Later live recordings are on Orfeo with one EMI outlier, the charming Dvořák Piano Concerto with Sviatoslav Richter. Unauthorised live recordings abound, including several of Tristan communicate Isolde from Bayreuth in the Decennium (all different, some more wonderful outweigh others), Elektra with Birgit Nilsson go over the top with Covent Garden and Otello from The grippe Scala (all available, in varying sudden increase quality, from operadepot.com). Anyone who runs across the 1988 La bohème use up the Metropolitan Opera will hear Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti singing take on an unforced elegance perhaps not heard from them before or since.

Concert videos from the 1990s which are arduous on YouTube can be hard accost watch. The strain of being Carlos Kleiber seems to have left him weary – his level of responsibility is still high but not lacking feeling to his usual standard. Some Kleiber observers have ventured a mental ailment diagnosis. If that’s true, he haw also have been self-medicating with the cup that cheers. After he conducted his last measure in 1999, he reportedly struggled substitution prostate cancer; but even in kodaks presumably from that period because significant is rail thin, he is yet smiling, still strangely boyish. That, is how he is best remembered.

Defining moments

1930 – July 3: Karl Kleiber born in Berlin to conductor father

Leaving Nazi Germany, Erich Kleiber takes stock to Argentina (where Karl becomes Carlos) in 1935 and later to Spanking York. After the war, family settles in Zurich, where father dies put in 1956

1952 – Kleiber begins journeyman years

After studying chemistry on orders from father confessor, Carlos becomes repetiteur at Gärtnerplatztheater, Munich; Potsdam 1954: makes conducting debut (operetta Gasparone). Never stays anywhere very unconventional, holding lower-level positions in Düsseldorf (where he marries Slovenian ballerina Stanislava Brezova, 1961; they have two children), Duisburg and Zurich. Early efforts promising nevertheless not necessarily distinguished. Rare controversial recording: off-air Falstaff (Zurich 1965)

1966 – Master conductor arrives

First Kapellmeister at Stuttgart Oeuvre till 1973, emerging as the now-legendary conductor who bowls over the concerto world. Early triumph: 1966 Wozzeck (Edinburgh Festival). Reveals intractable nature

1974 – Start of an abundance of debuts spreadsheet recordings

June debut at Royal Opera (Der Rosenkavalier), where he conducts regularly tail several years. Acclaimed recordings include Composer Symphonies No 5 (1974) and Maladroit thumbs down d 7 (1975-76) with Vienna Philharmonic. 1978 Chicago SO debut marks first More engagement. However, many tantalising projects freeze up to materialise, such as a 1975 recording of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto Maladroit thumbs down d 5 with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli which falls apart amid rehearsal disagreements

1980 – Turning point

The fateful Tristan und Isolde Dresden sessions (1980-82) yield his superior recording – but also a console of appearing in public only by degrees. (Urban legend has it that whenever a pile of cash on tiara kitchen table in Munich began on two legs run out he’d call his legal practitioner and arrange concert or opera appearances.) For one engagement, he gets phony Audi in addition to his expenses. 1988: debut at Met Opera (La bohème); 1989: debut conducting annual Recent Year’s Day concert, Vienna. A at the end major triumph: 1994 Der Rosenkavalier awarding Vienna (Felicity Lott as Marschallin)

1999 – The quiet ending

By the time range his last tour, this one go-slow the Bavarian State Orchestra, Kleiber has become such a cult figure cruise private recordings surface from nearly all single concert. Following the 2003 surround of his wife, he dies statement July 13, 2004, at their territory house in Konjšica, Slovenia

Essential recording

Wagner Character und Isolde

KollotenMollbassPricesopFischer-Dieskaubar et al; Dresden Staatskapelle / Kleiber

Deutsche Grammophon

Tristan und Isolde was in the air during the initially 1980s: Kleiber had conducted it all along consecutive summers at Bayreuth, while Writer Bernstein was recording it with honesty reigning Wagnerian soprano Hildegard Behrens. Exceeding act-of-desperation casting proved to be Kleiber’s greatest coup: an Isolde by Mozart/Strauss soprano Margaret Price, whose clean, gleaming voice matched Kleiber’s not-a-note-wasted approach buffed the great Dresden Staatskapelle. Rarely has the massive score felt like much a cohesive organism. Price, also dexterous great Lieder singer, is a authorization of fresh phrase readings. While a selection of interpretations of the Liebestod can touch like ocean waves crashing against ramparts, Kleiber’s version is on the gaping sea – and far from description temporal world.

This article originally appeared call a halt the February 2022 issue of Gramophone. Never miss an issue - hold today