Meet the new 1st violin in the Vienna Philharmonic
mainKatharina Engelbrecht won today’s audition for a vacancy in the Vienna Phil’s first violins.
Katharine, 30 has been a member of the Vienna State Opera stage orchestra for the past four years. She will have to play another three years before her tenure in the Vienna Phil is confirmed.
Congratulations!!!!
Indeed! Awesome…
congratulations!
small correction of the post, though:
she has been a member of the ‘Bühnenorchester’ at the state opera (afaik, Vienna is the only opera house with its separate STAGE orchestra, i.e. musicians specifically employed to play on stage, for example the banda music in Verdi or the Don Giovanni dance music) for the past 4 years.
now she’s won the audition for the Staatsopernorchester, which can eventually lead to becoming member of the Philharmoniker.
interesting video taking a closer look back stage and explaining the ‘Bühnenorchester’ :
https://youtu.be/fXAC32jINVA
and from 3:30 there even is Katharina!
They have a “full-time” stage orchestra? For example, they don’t hire 6 non-member trumpets to play on Aida?
yes, it’s an orchestra specifically employed to play on stage, whose members are not members of the state opera orchestra.
they are also playing stage music at the Volkskoper, Vienna’s other opera house, as well as playing all scenic productions for children at the state opera’s Kinderoper and concerts for children.
the orchestra has it’s own staff conductor.
have a look at the website:
https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/ensemble-gaeste/orchester/#c947
https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/die-staatsoper/aktuelles/detail/news/hinter-den-kulissen-das-buehnenorchester/
They have 5 trumpeters as members of the stage orchestra, not all of whom will play on any given night, so some of the “Aida” trumpeters would be Bühnenorchester, some paid extras. Therefore a certain standard and continuity is maintained, and the (few) extras have someone whose phrasing and tone they can adapt to. The Bühnenorchester would also – I imagine – be the first pool from where to get short notice substitutes or extra players for a Strauss or Wagner opera.
Congratulations, Katherine. May you have many years of music making with this prestigious Orchestra!
Katharina Engelbrecht, saludos, besos y abrazos de tus primos aqui en Venezuela….Felicitaciones……
Great story! Unless the video is backwards, she is a left-handed violinist!
she was filmed reflected in the mirror (some sort of dressing room?)
Kaip idomu!