R Strauss: Symphonic Poem "Ein Heldenleben"

Product Description

Nodoka Okisawa and the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra present their long-awaited first release together, featuring Richard Strauss's monumental tone poem Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40. Recorded live on March 14-15, 2025 at the 698th Subscription Concert of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra in Kyoto Concert Hall, this album captures a performance of exceptional scale, precision, and dramatic power.

The recording features Okisawa, the orchestra's Principal Conductor, with Ribon Aida, solo concertmaster of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, on violin. The work is presented in its six sections: The Hero, The Hero's Adversaries, The Hero's Companion, The Hero's Battlefield, The Hero's Works of Peace, and The Hero's Retirement from This World and Completion.

Widely acclaimed in Japan and abroad, Nodoka Okisawa won the Besancon International Competition for Young Conductors in 2019 and the Tokyo International Music Competition in 2018, where she also received the Special Prize and Hideo Saito Award. Appointed in April 2023 as the first female and youngest-ever Principal Conductor of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, she has drawn international attention for her artistry. With its magnificent sound and finely crafted ensemble, this release is an essential Strauss performance for collectors and classical music listeners alike.