Breaking: Thielemann loses his New Year’s TV

The annual ratings rivalry between Dresden and Berlin, ZDF and ARD,  has been settled before it began. The winner in 2020 is Covid.

Here’s the statement:

Unfortunately, the recording of this year’s ′′ festive concert from the Semperoper ′′ planned by the Semperoper Dresden, the Saxony State Chapel Dresden and the ZDF on Wednesday, 30. December 2020 cannot take place. After an in-depth risk assessment in the sense of the health protection of contributors and production employees, production is not feasible under the currently in force corona protection regulation of the Free State of Saxony.

Instead of the planned airing of this year’s concert, the ZDF will show on Wednesday, December 30., 2020 at 22.30 pm the 90-minute festival concert from the Semperoper of 2016, also under the leadership of chief conductor Christian Thielemann. Soloist Nikolaj Znaider plays here the famous violin concerto of Max Bruch and works by Fritz Kreisler. The Staatskapelle Dresden also presents popular overtures of Suppé, Rossini and Tchaikovsky.