Arnold Schoenberg is one of the most profoundly original artists in the history of music. His music is both historically crucial, deeply personal and yet universal. Throughout his life, Schoenberg was on a continuous journey, both literally, personally and figuratively. In an artistic and intellectual sense, he moved from Brahmsian and Wagnerian ideals towards recognizing the limits of tonality, inspired by the artistic movements of his time (as well as the earliest film music). Only by seeing him as an artist and a human in constant motion can we understand his unique development, including his late return to the world of tonality, which I believe was never interrupted after all. I am incredibly pleased to embark on Schoenberg 150 with Deutsche Grammophon and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. This important recording cycle has been a dream for many years, unveiling the beauty and the importance of Schoenberg’s music to a greater audience.

I really hope it will happen. Ulisse is a masterwork of Italian “motivischen Zwölftontechnik” that implements the bel canto tradition, so much loved by Dallapiccola. It is his opus summum.

It is unbelievable that I have not conducted Ravel’s arrangement of Pictures at an Exhibition before (I only conducted the Stokowski version). It is coming to NHKSO soon.

Die Liebe der Danae, “The Last Opera” by Richard Strauss, is a Greek mythology opera with comedic aspects and great music that demonstrates the composer’s late period.

It will be my third production. A masterpiece and a real thriller.