Rattle sets out to crush Salzburg with new Baden Baden festival

Sir Simon Rattle has announced plans for the 2013 Baden Baden Easter Festival, which will be the Berlin Philharmonic’s new base after they presumptuously pulled out of Salzburg at short notice.

Top of the rep is Magic Flute – ‘the icing on the cake’, said Rattle – but the casting has already been unsettled by Thomas Quasthoff’s poignant decision this week to  call an immediate halt to his singing career. The production will be directed by the Canadian, Robert Carsen, and will star Simone Kermes and Kate Royal.

Rattle will also conduct Mahler’s second symphony with his wife, Magdalena Kozena, and Kate Royal as soloists.

And Andris Nelson’s will conduct Maxim Vengerov’s return to the big time from prolonged injury in the Brahms concerto.

Fluffy details here.

Rattle with Baden Baden director Andreas Mölich-Zebhauser.Photo: Festspielhaus Baden-Baden