The Staatskapelle Dresden Honors Herbert Blomstedt with a Concert

The Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden is honoring its late honorary conductor, Herbert Blomstedt, with a concert. Originally, the 99-year-old was scheduled to conduct the traditional concert commemorating the destruction of Dresden in February 2027. Now, Chief Conductor Daniele Gatti will take over the concert, which will feature Gustav Mahler’s “Das Lied von der Erde,” the orchestra announced. 

The Staatskapelle named Blomstedt its honorary conductor in 2016

Blomstedt passed away on Wednesday in Gothenburg. He first took the podium with the Staatskapelle Dresden in 1969. From 1975 to 1985, he served as its chief conductor and was revered by musicians and music lovers alike. In 2016, the orchestra named him an honorary conductor. Most recently, he conducted Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5 in Dresden in January of this year.

A musician of intelligence and warmth

“He was a great musician, characterized by intelligence and warmth, who could always rely on the sensitivity, discipline, and spontaneity of the Staatskapelle and, in turn, provide essential and profound artistic inspiration. With great personal modesty, he always took a back seat to the music, thereby making unforgettable, deeply moving interpretations possible,” the Staatskapelle said in tribute to Blomstedt.