Reviews

Finally Richard Wagner's music in Messina! On Wednesday a concert was dedicated to the great German composer in the Vittorio Emanuele Theater. The protagonists are the theater orchestra under the direction of a Wagner specialist, the Austrian maestro Matthias Fletzberger.

It is enough to hear how the orchestra players masterfully accompanied the soprano in the arias and how they interpreted another symphonic piece “Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt” more than satisfactorily, a long orchestral interlude under the knowledgeable and refined direction of Matthias Fletzberger.

The performance of the soprano Manuela Uhl was really excellent, and the performance of the orchestra was also very good, especially in the ballad by Senta, where some orchestral subtleties were captured, also thanks to the excellent direction from Fletzberger, which made us realize even more what could reach this orchestra on site, but also on tour, if it were to be permanently established.

(Giovanni Franciò, tempostretto.it, December 26th, 2021)

The following concert version of the  Ariadne on Naxos is the focus of the summer night concert. The ensemble on the square proves to be a well-functioning opera orchestra, despite the sparse cast. It is amazing how, under the baton of Matthias Fletzberger, towards the end of the opera it suddenly plays with such great sonic force, as if it were about competing with Wagner's Götterdämmerung, which, however, corresponds to the score.

(Manfred A. Schmid, August 14, 2021)

Tristan and Isolde in the open air: The Weinviertel Festival triumphs thanks to top-class singers!

The Ambassade Orchestra Vienna under the direction of Matthias Fletzberger showed its strengths in the first act and with a lean, bright string sound and precisely beginning solo passages of the woodwinds, something big could be expected for this opera premiere. In the further course of the evening, certainly also due to the numerous breaks in the rain and the associated assembly and dismantling of the instruments, the concentration of the orchestra musicians noticeably decreased. In the end, the conductor was only able to keep his orchestra together again and again in the love duet with clear signals.

(Phillip Richter, 08/24/2020)

Only the solid playing has remained the same Ambassade Orchestra Vienna and the sovereign conductor leading through the evening Matthias Fletzberger.

It is impressive what the daring undertaking to bring the Wagner operas The Flying Dutchman and Tristan and Isolde to the stage in the - somewhat expanded - Weinviertel within a very short time, despite all adverse circumstances.

(Manfred A. Schmid, 08/20/2020)

It's unbelievable how well the orchestra played under Matthias Fletzberger! If we hadn't known - no one would have thought how quickly they had learned this demanding piece of all things. Not only in the intoxication of love, but above all in the quiet, contemplative moments and scenes, one listened to the playing of the individual instruments with pleasure. And the tension in the brand scene did not end either.

(Sieglinde Pfabigan, August 18, 2020)

"The conductor Matthias Fletzberger ensured a slim Wagner sound at the desk of the good Ambassade Orchestra."

(Peter Jarolin, August 17, 2020)

Conductor Fletzberger brought together the feat of bringing works that are designed for orchestras of 60 to 70 musicians to the Poydium stage with 23 top-class musicians. "The idea of the smaller orchestra has proven itself particularly when it comes to keeping your distance," emphasizes Fletzberger.

There was also a top-class opera cast among the singers: Tomasz Konieczny, who is at home on every opera stage in the world, was the crowning highlight of the evening. Because such fantastic music should be carried into the world, but often this fails quite profanely because of the gigantic orchestra size - be it on the part of the orchestra or on the part of the venue.

So is it feasible to shrink an orchestra of this size with music of this caliber to less than a third? One could doubt that. But if a great like Matthias Fletzberger, with over ten years of experience in arranging, takes on this, there is nothing to fear.

On the contrary: music, good music, should be sung by an artistic elite, but on the part of the audience it should by no means be reserved for an elite. Conductor Fletzberger showed how it works during the festival.

(Werner Kraus, August 12, 2020)

The opening gala also demonstrates the great artistic potential that lies in the approximately sixty-strong orchestra, composed of musicians from Prague, Brno and Vienna under the direction of music director Fletzberger, and inspires the two great opera productions (“The Flying Dutchman” and “ Tristan und Isolde ”) - and to the coming year.

(Florian Amort, FAZ August 5, 2020)

"Tribute should also be paid to the festival orchestra led by Matthias Fletzberger and Levente Török: The two offered music at the highest level."

(Werner Kraus, August 5th, 2020)

The whole evening was unmistakably determined by the outstanding performance of Andreas Schager and the well-conducted play by the Orchestra of the State Opera conducted by Matthias Fletzberger.

It was hard to believe that the same state opera orchestra played (of course, in a much larger cast), which had fought so hard a month ago with Beethoven's Fidelio in the Estates Theater.

It was certainly the merit of the conductor Matthias Fletzberger, who led the orchestra with a balanced sound through the sudden musical twists of the ring

(Helena Havliková, 10.2018)

"Fletzberger knows his Wagner, especially the Ring, in which the Prague State Opera Orchestra glowed positively."

(Frank Kuznik, 10.2018,)

"Matthias Fletzberger led the State Opera Orchestra to a remarkable performance - which remained consistently high throughout the evening. In the first work of the program - Overture to Rienzi - one could enjoy a beautifully phrased introduction.

Fletzberger did not emphasize the sharp dynamic contradictions, but rather dosed the passion in order to make it appear with overwhelming strength and festive effect. The ending of the overture did not sound noisy or pathetic, but simply "just" magnificent."

(Alena Sojková, 10.2018)

"Up to and including the encore, all the pieces of the evening were well selected. The soloists worked very well with the conductor, who was also responsible for arranging the pieces. The Tokyo Mitaka Philharmonic Orchestra was able to fulfill the musical wishes of the conductor in a spirited and precise manner."

(Junko Shibatsuji, 03.2017)

From 2010 to 2012, Mr. Matthias Fletzberger was a member of the expert committee for performing arts appointed by the Lower Austrian state government. In this function, Mr. Fletzberger not only made a significant contribution to the ongoing artistic and financial evaluation of the Lower Austrian theater locations, but was also significantly involved in the restructuring and partial reorientation of individual festivals. In this context, on behalf of the state, he was also sent to search commissions of advertised directorships (including Stadttheater Baden, Langenlois Castle Festival, etc.).

His work provided valuable support for the theater and festival landscape in Lower Austria and made a significant contribution to quality assurance and further development of the theater offer in the state.

Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government
Culture, Science and Education Group Art and Culture Department

"Conductor Matthias Fletzberger was leading an orchestra that sounded both relaxed and rehearsed. String sounds were warm and balances refined ..."

"An artist of first order … In the area of the late romanticism Fletzberger has to fear nobody. An extraordinary feeling for rhythm, inexhaustible strength, endless richness of moods and fabulous feeling for proportions"

(Heinz Sichrowsky, 01.2011)

“Krenek's music with its powerful approach and its expressionistic pathos, its compelling choral scenes, its plastic coloring and elementary rhythm is extremely attractive. Matthias Fletzberger, supported by the excellent Austrian Chamber Symphony Orchestra ... realized it very confidently and impressively. "

(Gerhard Kramer)

"Matthias Fletzberger conducts a meticulously rehearsed, wonderful interplay of singers and orchestra."

(Harald Steiner, 01.1999)

"The performance of the Austrian Chamber Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Matthias Fletzberger, including the preparation and careful musical direction, is of the best quality."

(Heinz Rögl)

"I am not in the habit of giving recommendations, but this young man is not only a wonderful pianist but also a budding conductor. Whatever he will endeavor to do in music will surely warrant your interest and support."

(Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, 1988)