On their tour through Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and Joana Mallwitz have arrived in Ludwigsburg this evening with soloist Giorgi Gigashvili for the opening of this year's Schlossfestspiele.

“There is still no music that is closer to my heart than Schubert's,” says Joana Mallwitz. This composer and his works were the “initial spark” for her to become a conductor. “I'm really looking forward to conducting Schubert's “Great” in C major not in front of cameras and an empty hall, as I did in 2020 when I made my debut with the Konzerthausorchester due to the coronavirus, but in front of an audience. I think it's one of the best pieces ever,” says the chief conductor. Before that, piano soloist Giorgi Gigashvili will delight you with Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto, which the composer nicknamed the “Concerto for Elephants”. Elephants are considered to be extremely sensitive animals, and this concerto calls for the high art of lyrical playing as well as enormous technical skill.