Pure Richard Strauss: Ludwigsburg Festival inspires in Mannheim

Pure Richard Strauss: Ludwigsburg Festival inspires in Mannheim

On June 22, 2025, music lovers gathered in the Forum Ludwigsburg to celebrate the “Richard Strauss Festival”. The Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen, who is also known for his previous engagements at the Castle Festival, led the German Radio Philharmonic Saarbrücken and Kaiserslautern (DRP) and ensured an unforgettable evening. In this concert, the Philharmonic Orchestra, consisting of 90 talented musicians, turned to the magnificent symphonic works and orchestral songs of Richard Strauss. Loud Krzbb The atmosphere in the auditorium was electric.

The program was characterized by Strauss’ musical mischief. The concert began with the prologue of his program music “Till Eulenspiegel’s funny pranks”. Here Strauss lets a shawl creak appear and the orchestra becomes its narrator - a narrative form that captivates the audience. The music contains both cheerful and thoughtful moments, which are charmingly interwoven Castle Festival betrayed.

A litter of highlights

Another highlight of the evening was the performance of the tone poem “Don Juan,” which captivated the audience with its powerful expression. The orchestral songs also shown, including “Cäcilie”, “Traum durch die Twilight” and “Morgen”, demonstrated the versatility of Strauss’ compositions. In particular, the piece “Morgen”, which was performed as an encore, provided a rousing conclusion that drew the audience to hymns of applause.

In addition, four symphonic interludes from the opera “Intermezzo” and the well-known tone poem “Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks” were performed. This year marks the 130th anniversary of Eulenspiegel's musical jokes, which were performed for the first time. The audience was allowed to embark on a journey through Richard Strauss' sound world, which is difficult to put into words SWR.

Livestream and future broadcast

A highlight for everyone who couldn't witness the concert on site: the entire evening was recorded and will be broadcast live on SWR Kultur. On Tuesday, October 7th at 1:05 p.m., music lovers can relive the highlights of the concert. Art and music were harmoniously combined that evening, and the fascination for Richard Strauss' works was once again underlined.

For everyone who followed in the footsteps of music, this evening was one thing: a true festival of sounds that filled every minute with comfort and joy.