The Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 2 & 7 performed by Seiji Ozawa, who turned 80!
Bonus content includes valuable footage of Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy (piano: Martha Argerich
) from the Celebrating Seiji at 80! Gala Concert performance!
We are happy to announce the release of DVD/Blu-ray comprising concerts conducted by Seiji Ozawa and performed by the Saito Kinen Orchestra (SKO) in 2015 and 2016 at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival (OMF). Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto, a venerable international classical music festival, held every year in Matsumoto City of Nagano Prefecture in Japan since 1992, had its name changed into the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival in 2015. The DVD/Blu-ray contains concerts held this year as the festival entered a new stage, and in 2016 when the Matsumoto Festival marked its 25th season.
In 2015, the commemorative first year as OMF, Seiji Ozawa conducted Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 for the first time in 15 years. In 2016, he conducted Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in Matsumoto for the first time in 23 years.
In addition to these two performances, bonus content features rare footage from the Celebrating Seiji at 80! Gala Concert. A total of 300 top-class musicians gathered from around the world on September 1, 2015 to celebrate Festival Director Ozawa’s 80th birthday. The centerpiece of this concert, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, is included in the extra. This rendition performed by pianist Martha Argerich, who appeared as a friend, and an array of soloists including Nathalie Stutzmann and Matthias Goerne, greatly delighted everyone in attendance. Choral Fantasy was not part of Argerich’s repertoire thus far and this will be the first release ever as footage. There is also valuable footage of Ozawa being serenaded with Happy Birthday by all and blowing out a birthday candle.
This DVD/Blu-ray compiles all performances conducted by Festival Director Ozawa at OMF in 2015 and 2016. Advance sales of the overseas edition will be launched on Friday, August 18 during this year’s OMF, which will commence in August 2017. Release throughout Japan is scheduled for Friday, September 1, and worldwide for Friday, September 15.
SEIJI OZAWA at the MATSUMOTO FESTIVAL
DVD / Blu-ray (83min / Extra 25min)
SEIJI OZAWA ・ SAITO KINEN ORCHESTRA
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
SYMPHONY No.2 in D major, Op. 36
Live from the Kissei Bunka Hall, Matsumoto, Japan, Sep 6, 2015.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
SYMPHONY No.7 in A major, Op. 92
Live from the Kissei Bunka Hall, Matsumoto, Japan, Aug 18, 2016.
BONUS:
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Choral Fantasy in C minor, Op.80
Saito Kinen Orchestra
Conductor: Seiji Ozawa Piano: Martha Argerich
Soprano: Lydia Teuscher, Rie Miyake
Alto: Nathalie Stutzmann
Tenor: Kei Fukui, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt
Baritone: Matthias Goerne
Chorus: OMF Chorus
Performed at Celebrating Seiji at 80! Gala Concert
Live from the Kissei Bunka Hall, Matsumoto, Japan, Sep 1, 2015.
*Bonus includes Seiji Ozawa’s 80th Birthday Celebration
Distribution: EuroArts Music International
(World sales: Warner Music Group / Japan: King International Inc)
Release date:
Advance release: Aug 18, 2017 (during 2017OMF)
General release: Sep 1, 2017 (Japan) Sep 15, 2017 (World)
※Price and purchasing details to be announced.
A co-production of EuroArts Music International, Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK), Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival in cooperation with VEROZA Japan Company Ltd.
