Thuringia celebrates Franz Liszt’s 200th birthday

Liszt – citizen of the world and icon – and associated with Thuringia in a particular way. Together with Johann Sebastian Bach, he was the outstanding musician in the central German cultural region. As a phenomenal pianist, as a conductor and as a composer, as a teacher and a musical organiser, he dominated local musical life in the mid-19th century and exercised a wide-reaching influence, in both geographical and chronological terms.

In 2011, Franz Liszt’s 200th birthday will be celebrated worldwide and so Thuringia will see a year of music.

The focus of his activities in Thuringia was Weimar, which he made into a musical centre of European standing in the 1850s, taking up the heritage of Goethe and Beethoven, Schiller and Herder. But in other Thuringian towns too, he, his students and the works of the “New German School” that he headed had a great influence, particularly in Eisenach, Sondershausen, Jena, Erfurt and Meiningen. In 2011, musical culture will be brought back to life at different and sometimes authentic venues.

Some 150 events have already been planned. The highlight will be the “Liszt Festival” (working title) from 23rd June to 9th July 2011, together with the festive opening and the birthday celebrations. From 24th June until 30th October 2011, the Weimar Classics Foundation will be showing the exhibition “Franz Liszt – a European in Weimar” (Liszt Museum, Schiller Museum, Altenburg Town Castle, Goethe and Schiller Archives).

Other events:

• 16.2.2011: Opening of the Liszt Year on the 225th birthday of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna in Weimar
• From 23.06. to 09.07.2011: “Liszt Festival” with “Hexameron” in Weimar (21.–26.06.2011), Thuringian Castle Theatre Festival in Sondershausen (24./26.06., 01./02./09.07.2011), “The Legend of Saint Elisabeth” in St. Severi Church in Erfurt (02.07.2011), Museum Evening at Elisabethenburg Castle in Meiningen (08.07.2011), “Tannhäuser and the Battle of the Bards at Wartburg Fortress“ in Eisenach and lots more
• From 19.8. to 04.09.2011: Art Festival Weimar pèlerinages “Vision” in Weimar and 2nd International Bach-Liszt Organ Competition Erfurt–Weimar– Merseburg
• 22.10.2011: Liszt’s birthday / European Liszt Night: Festive Celebration by the Free State of Thuringia and festival concerts, incl. with world star Thielemann