The Esterhaza Opera

Available for 29 days

“Haydn! The admirable and matchless Haydn!” That is how the composer and writer on music Charles Burney described the composer. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod explores how, before Burney came up with this effusive accolade, Haydn grew to become the most famous composer in the world, despite being holed up on a remote Hungarian estate, far from the musical in-crowds. We will explore Haydn’s operatic successes, his attempts to infiltrate the Viennese musical world, and his relationship with the other great composer of his day – Mozart. Donald also discovers the contractual arrangement which allowed Haydn's music to spread throughout Europe, and the circumstances which led to him leaving the employ of the Esterhazy family, just as his fame was hitting its height and Haydn himself was beginning to despair at being stuck in the Hungarian countryside. In Monday’s episode, Donald explores the close knit Esterhaza community and the relationships which flourished there. He’ll also discover how Haydn’s employer Prince Nicolaus Eszterhazy abandoned his obsession for an obsolete musical instrument in favour of opera. We’ll learn of the catastrophic fire which burned the Esterhaza opera house to the ground, destroying many of Haydn’s instruments in the process. And discover how, despite this tragedy, the Prince’s new obsession allowed Haydn to create music of which he was proud and which also allowed him to cultivate and protect his own, more intimate relationships within the Esterhaza household. Baryton Trio no.126 - Finale Eszterhazy Ensemble Philemon und Baucis - Triumph, dem Gott der Gotter! (chorus) Christoph Genz, tenor (Philemon) Jan Petryka, tenor (Aret) Maren Engelhardt, mezzo-soprano (Baucis) Alexandra Reinprecht, soprano (Narcissa) Vocalforum Graz Haydn Sinfonietta Wien Manfred Huss, conductor Il mondo della luna - Overture Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Ola Rudner, conductor Il mondo della luna - Non aver di me sospetto Thomas Quasthoff, baritone (Buonafede) Genia Kühmeier, soprano (Lisetta) Freiburger Barockorchester Gottfried von der Golz, conductor Symphony no 59 in A major, Hob I:59 “Fire” Il Giardino Armonico Giovanni Antonini, conductor Armida - Se pietade avete, oh numi Simona Houda-Saturova, soprano (Armida) NDR Radiophilharmonie Alessandro de Marchi, conductor l’isola disabitata – Fra un dolce deliro Patricia Petibon, soprano (Silvia) Concerto Koln Daniel Harding, conductor Producer: Sam Phillips