The great Austrian repertoire from the Strauss family to Mahler and Berg is in the best hands with Vorarlberg native Manfred Honeck. And because the 2026 Hamburg International Music Festival’s motto is »The End«, for the opening concert, Honeck brings along the most monumental end-of-the-world vision by an Austrian composer of the 20th century: Franz Schmidt’s apocalypse rendering »Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln« (The Book with Seven Seals). Outstanding singers and choirs are a must here.
On the eve of the Second World War, Franz Schmidt undertook nothing less than a coherent musical setting of the Apocalypse of John. The complete history of human salvation is the theme of his oratorio. The story ranges from the spread of the Christian faith to decline, »war of all against all«, and the Day of Judgement. Each of the seals in the title represents a stage on this journey: »I have adhered closely to the original and have approached the work solely from the perspective of a deeply religious person and artist,« said the devout Catholic about his setting of the last book of the Bible.
Schmidt’s monumental oratorio demands enormous effort from all performers. For the legendary tenor Peter Schreier, the exorbitantly demanding role of John was one of his signature roles; in Hamburg, Maximillian Schmitt now sings the prophet. Schmitt is supported by a team of top-class singers, such as bass Tareq Nazmi, who embodies the voice of God, and soprano Christina Landshamer as mother and angel. The work was composed for the 150th anniversary of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien and its Wiener Singverein. Now the NDR Vokalensemble and MDR Radio Choir sing the challenging choral parts.
PERFORMERS
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester orchestra
MDR-Rundfunkchor choir
NDR Vokalensemble choir
Maximilian Schmitt tenor
Tareq Nazmi bass
Christina Landshamer soprano
Catriona Morison alto
Patrick Grahl tenor
Gerrit Illenberger bass
Thomas Emanuel Cornelius organ
Manfred Honeck conductor
PROGRAM
Franz Schmidt
Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln
