The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra will honor its longtime music director and honorary conductor, Herbert Blomstedt, in a special way next Tuesday (November 10) with a memorial concert. The musician, who was revered in many places, passed away last Wednesday in Gothenburg at the age of 99. Blomstedt served as the Gewandhaus Kapellmeister from 1998 to 2005. “Together with the audience, the musicians wish to commemorate the extraordinary artist and human being who shaped the Gewandhaus Orchestra for decades and with whom many residents of Leipzig feel a special connection,” the orchestra announced. Under the baton of Gewandhaus Kapellmeister Andris Nelsons, the orchestra will perform Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s “Reformation Symphony.” The Gewandhaus Choir will open the evening with Johann Sebastian Bach’s motet “Komm, Jesu, komm.” In speeches, Gewandhaus Director Andreas Schulz, Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung (SPD), Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU), and Bernhard Krug, Chairman of the Orchestra’s Board of Directors, will honor Blomstedt’s artistic and personal legacy. A particularly personal moment of remembrance will be the collective singing of the chorale “Jesu, meine Freude.” All those present are invited to join in singing this chorale, which was one of Blomstedt’s favorites. “In this way, the concert will not only be a musical tribute but also a collective farewell to a man who was closely connected to the Gewandhaus Orchestra and its audience for decades.” Blomstedt first made his mark in Saxony with the Staatskapelle Dresden, which he led from 1975 to 1985. The orchestra will honor the maestro in January with a concert series (January 17–19). Principal conductor Daniele Gatti will then take the podium for performances of Gustav Mahler’s “Song of the Earth.” Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved“An extraordinary artist and human being”
Audience to sing one of Blomstedt’s favorite chorales
The Staatskapelle Dresden will dedicate a concert to Blomstedt in January
