To ensure the best viewing experience, audience members may only enter the venue between programmes. Late arrivals and those who leave during the performance may miss the best parts of the show.

Staatskapelle Dresden

As one of the world’s oldest orchestras, the Staatskapelle Dresden is steeped in tradition. Founded in 1548 by Moritz, Elector of Saxony, its history is inextricably linked with the city of Dresden, the royal Saxon court and its theatre. Until today, the venerable ensemble performs some 250 opera and ballets each season at its home in the Semperoper. In addition, the orchestra presents around 50 symphonic concerts, matinee events and chamber music evenings. Daniele Gatti has been Principal Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden since 2024/25 concert season.

Celebrated for its unmistakable »Dresden sound«, the Staatskapelle is one of the world’s leading symphony orchestras, appearing at major international music venues several times each season. From 2013 to 2022, the ensemble was resident orchestra at the Salzburg Easter Festival. For this successful decade of work at the Salzach River, it was awarded the Herbert von Karajan Prize. In 2007, the Staatskapelle was the first – and until today the only – orchestra to receive the »European Cultural Foundation Prize for the Preservation of the World’s Musical Heritage«.

Conductor: Daniele Gatti

When Daniele Gatti takes over the post of Principal Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden in August 2024, this will inaugurate a fresh chapter in a long-standing collaboration. Gatti made his debut with the orchestra in February 2000 at the invitation of the then principal conductor, Giuseppe Sinopoli, with a programme featuring works by Mendelssohn, Hindemith and Brahms. Over the following years, he returned several times to Dresden. With Gatti’s mastery of the Staatskapelle’s core repertoire, visionary interpretations and keen sense of the sound and unique traditions of this historic ensemble, audiences can look forward to some outstanding concert experiences. During his first season, he will launch the orchestra’s first complete cycle of Gustav Mahler’s symphonic works.

In addition to his post in Dresden, Daniele Gatti is also Chief Conductor of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Music Director of the Orchestra Mozart and, since 2016, Artistic Advisor to the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.

In 2015, Daniele Gatti was awarded the »Franco Abbiati« Prize as best conductor by Italian music critics, and in 2016 was named Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French Republic for his work as Music Director of the Orchestre National de France. He also holds the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Pianist: Bruce Liu

First prize winner of the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition 2021 in Warsaw, Bruce Liu’s “playing of breathtaking beauty” (BBC Music Magazine) has secured his reputation as one of the most exciting talents of his generation.

As Focus Artist of the 2024 Rheingau Musik Festival, Liu was featured in five performances ranging from a solo recital to chamber music and concerto performances with hr-Sinfonieorchester, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.

An active recitalist, Liu has performed at major concert halls including the BOZAR Brussels, Wigmore Hall, Philharmonie de Paris, and Tokyo Opera City. In 2024/25, he returns to Carnegie Hall, Théâtre des ChampsElysées and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam as well as major venues in Asia.

Bruce Liu studied with Richard Raymond and Dang Thai Son. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and raised in Montréal, Liu’s phenomenal artistry has been shaped by his multi-cultural heritage: European refinement, North American dynamism, and the long tradition of Chinese culture.