Erich Wolfgang Korngold Unofficial Web Site

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Ralph Wells (1960-2008)

On Wednesday 18 June 2008, baritone Ralph Wells died at his home in Corvallis, Oregon. He is survived by his mother, Kathryn, brother, Bob and wife, Elizabeth.

Ralph Wells was a graduate of Portland State University, and led a diverse artistic career including singing, composing, arranging and writing. He was also an artist and educator, and a devoted promoter of the Austrian composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold. His many talents led him most recently to create the stage show “Farewell, Vienna!”.

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SPECIAL OFFER
Limited edition of Kings Row / The sea wolf

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- UK premiere -
of Die tote Stadt at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, LONDON - January 2009
The acclaimed Salzburg/Vienna production by Willy Decker will be conducted by Ingo Metzmacher. It opens on 26 January 2009, with 6 further performances. The cast includes Stephen Gould (Paul) Nadia Michael (Marie-Marietta) and Gerald Finlay (Frank-Pierrot).

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Die tote Stadt, Venice 2009
The lyric Season of 2009 of the Theatre La Fenice will comprise nine productions, of which six are new preparations.

The season will open Friday 23 January 2009 with the first rappresentazione to Venice
of Die tote Stadt by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

The Director is Eliahu Inbal, with scenes and costumes by Pier Luigi Peaks. This is a new production of the Theatre of La Fenice in a co-production with the Massimo Theatre of Palermo. Main interpreters will be Stefan Vinke (Paul) and Solveig Kringelborn (Marietta). Four further performances will take place on the 25, 27, 29 and 31 January.
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New book (in German)

Biography of Erich Wolfgang Korngold in German on has just been released.
535 pages, 39,90 EUR., with 250 illustrations and family trees of the "Korngolds" and the "von Sonnenthals" (5 generations)
For further informations, please click
Author: Guy Wagner
http://www.matthes-seitz-berlin.de/scripts/buch.php?ID=10
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Article: “A Major Revival: Erich W. Korngold’s Die tote Stadt” Troy O. Dixon
Read the special introduction for the Opera programme written by Mr. Brendan Carroll

CD review: “The Sea Hawk” & “Devotion” – Complete Scores, Troy Dixon

Photo album: Korngold's houses

Interview: with soprano Mrs. Angela Denoke

For the first time on DVD! Digitally restored from the beautifully preserved nitrate camera negative in the Warner Archives, to its original 1935 "Roadshow Version" length, that will include the Overture, Intermission and Exit music, this first DVD release includes the first ever commercial release of the short film 'A Dream Comes True' (1936) that features the only known footage of Erich Wolfgang Korngold playing the piano! Release date: August 14.
details

Article by Brendan G. Carroll
Download in pdf

Sea hawk, Captain blood and the private lives of Elizabeth & ESSEX in special restored DVD editions
more...

Symphonic serenade for strings
Performed by London Symphony orchestra
conducted by Simone Pittau on ASV label

"The Adventures of Benjamin Schmid" - a new 100 minute documentary about the gifted young Austrian violinist whose performances of Korngold were the highlight of the Salzburg Festival 2004, is directed by award-winning film maker Tony Palmer, and features extensive footage of the Salzburg Festival 2004 that includes performances of the Korngold Violin Concerto and his Suite for Left Hand Op 23, will be screened on Austrian & German TV in July and released on DVD by the OEHMS label later in 2006! It also includes interviews with Korngold's grand-daughter Kathrin, conductor Seji Ozawa and with Korngold's biographer Brendan G Carroll. It also features beautiful location footage shot at Schloss Hoeselberg, Korngold's exquisite country home in Gmunden, now beautifully restored. This is the first time that film has been taken of this very special house.

Korngold Film Trailers
Turner Classic Movies has now loaded a huge number of its vintage Trailers on line, available for free downloads. The collection includes all of the Korngold films plus the very rare short film "A Dream Comes True" which contains the only known footage of Korngold playing the piano.
link

Forbidden Songs"
Verbotene Lieder - FORBIDDEN SONGS - COMPOSERS IN EXILE"
Songs by Grosz, Weill, Ullmann and Korngold
sung by CHRISTIANE OELZE with Eric Schneider, pianist
Capriccio 71 062 (Germany release but now available worldwide)
This is now released & includes the complete Opus 22 Lieder Cycle + No 1 from Unvergaenglichkeit Op 27 in fine
performances

Korngold Lieder A major 2 volume publication of all of Korngold's unpublished songs is in preparation by Schott.
Date to be announced