2012 Summer-night Concert from Vienna

MUSIC: Polonaise from Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky

APPLAUSE

A very warm welcome to the grounds of the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna.

The Summer Night Concert is given annually

by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,

this year joined by Venezuelan superstar conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

We've just heard Tchaikovsky's polka from his opera Eugene Onegin,

now more dance, and Mussorgsky's Dance Of The Persian Slaves.

APPLAUSE

Mussorgsky's Dance Of The Persian Slaves from his opera Khovanshchina.

The Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel,

joined by dancers of the Vienna State Opera Ballet.

More Russian music now

with Alexander Borodin's exotic Polovtsian Dances,

taken from his opera Prince Igor.

In this scene, we find the prince being entertained by his captors.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Borodin's Polovtsian Dances.

Impressionistic music next by Claude Debussy, La Mer - The Sea.

We have three scenes -

first, the sun, rising slowly over the sea at dawn,

then the second movement called Play Of Waves,

and finally, the Dialogue Of The Wind And The Sea.

-APPLAUSE

-Dialogue Of The Wind And The Sea -

the final sketch of Claude Debussy's rousing La Mer.

The Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Gustavo Dudamel,

joined by dancers from the Vienna State Opera Ballet,

performing a highly original water choreography

devised by Gregor Hatala.

More dance music now from one of the most erotic scenes in all of opera -

Salome's Dance Of The Seven Veils by Richard Strauss.

APPLAUSE

The Dance Of The Seven Veils from Salome, by Richard Strauss.

Now, onto something quite different

with Ponchielli's jocular Danza Delle Ore,

or Dance Of The Hours, taken from his opera La Gioconda,

which was famously used 136 years later by Walt Disney

for his animated film Fantasia.

APPLAUSE

Ponchielli's Dance Of The Hours,

clearly enjoyed thoroughly by conductor Gustavo Dudamel,

performing this evening with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra

at their annual Summer Night Concert at the Schonbrunn Palace.

Some wonderful images there, too, of clocks

from Vienna's enchanting Clock Museum.

Well, that brings the concert to its official close,

but as is the tradition here,

there are always a couple of extra treats in store.

You wanted to escape us?

-I have...

-Let's play another piece.

Maybe.

-LAUGHTER

-Do you want another piece?

CHEERING

Well...

I think we have something else to play

that is a huge responsibility for me

because it's a waltz by Strauss

that is in the blood of all of you

and I try to put that blood in my body, so...

Let's try... Let's try and see what happens.

APPLAUSE

APPLAUSE

Wiener Blut - Johann Strauss' famous waltz,

now very much the traditional encore

for the Summer Night Concert at Schonbrunn.

At its debut performance in 1873,

Strauss himself conducted the Vienna Philharmonic.

Dancers there from the Vienna State Opera Ballet,

choreographed by Gregor Hatala, showing us how it's really done.

Maybe we will play something else, but the last one.

-Yeah.

-The REAL last one.

OK?

CHEERING

For the Spanish people, we have...

-CHEERING

-That we have here...

GUSTAVO AND CLEMENS LAUGH

We have the opera, the normal. We have the operetta.

In Spain, there's a form for this kind of music that is the zarzuela.

We will play an intermezzo of one of the most famous zarzuelas.

That is - La Boda De Luis Alonso by Gimenez.

Let's try to enjoy and have fun, no?

Enjoy, enjoy!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Gustavo Dudamel bringing more than a touch

of his legendary Venezuelan panache

to Gimenez's famous zarzuela -

Luis Alonso's Wedding.

The musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

clearly taken by his infectious enthusiasm.

Well, sadly, that is all we have time for this evening.

So, from a packed and clearly delighted audience

at Vienna's magnificent Schonbrunn Palace, goodbye.

APPLAUSE CONTINUES

CHEERING AND WHISTLING

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd