New Works and Memorial Concerts Highlight the Kreuzchor's Program

The Dresden Kreuzchor aims to remain equally committed to both tradition and modernity in the new season. The boys’ choir will present its audience with a wide range of music—featuring works from the early Baroque period to the present day, promised Kreuzkantor Martin Lehmann during the presentation of the annual program. “Now in my fifth season as Kreuzkantor, a musical understanding and trust has grown between the Kruzianers and me that allows us to joyfully dedicate ourselves to further challenging projects.”

“Lobgesang” and Mozart’s “Great Mass”

The Kreuzchor, which dates back more than 800 years, impressively demonstrated its caliber in February with a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental Mass in B minor. The program for the new season also features demanding works. 

The season kicks off on September 4 with a performance of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s “Lobgesang”—in collaboration with the Dresden Philharmonic in their concert hall at the Kulturpalast and conducted by Kreuzkantor Lehmann. The following day, the concert will mark the conclusion of the Rheingau Music Festival at Eberbach Abbey. 

At the concert in February commemorating the destruction of Dresden during World War II, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s unfinished “Great Mass” in C minor will be performed—accompanied by the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden. 

Performance at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg

Other highlights mentioned included performances of Johannes Brahms’s “German Requiem” and Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio.” Bach’s St. John Passion will be performed during Holy Week. A composition commission for the “Introitus” of the Kreuzchor Vespers has been awarded to Reiko Füting, who is to create six of these opening chants for a church service. 

Guest concerts will take the Kreuzchor to the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, as well as to Arnstadt, Bad Elster, Magdeburg, Neubrandenburg, and Dessau. The boys’ choir can also be heard at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival and the Festival of European Church Music in Schwäbisch Gmünd.