Vienna State Opera Orchestra
The Vienna State Opera Orchestra not only has ties to the Vienna State Opera, but to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which draws its membership exclusively from its operatic cousin. The VSOO consists of 149 members and is regarded by many as the finest opera orchestra in the world. It has been an organization steeped in tradition, sometimes to its detriment: women were banned from playing in the orchestra until 1997. Yet its performances, both operatic and orchestral, have long been widely acclaimed by both critics and public alike. Because the Vienna State Opera has a very full schedule of operas -- more than 50 productions every year, and about 200 performances that run from September 1 to June 30 -- the VSOO's performances have been largely limited to operatic productions. Yet the ensemble has made more than 300 recordings over the years, many devoted strictly to orchestral music.
The Vienna State Opera Orchestra was established in 1869, though its roots, in the form of a forerunner ensemble, date back to the early 18th century. It was after the completion of the Vienna Court Opera building in 1869 that the new opera company and orchestra were officially founded.
The first music director of the ensemble (and of the opera company) was Franz von Dingelstedt, who served only until 1870. Over the years there would be 25 additional music directors, with Felix Weingartner (1908-1911; 1935-1936), Karl Böhm (1943-1945; 1954-1956), and Egon Seefehlner (1976-1982; 1984-1986) serving two terms each. Many of the music directors of the Vienna State Opera were not conductors of the orchestra, like Seefehlner and Claus Helmut Dreese (1986-1991), whose orchestral conductor was Claudio Abbado. Beside those mentioned above, other illustrious conductors of the VSOO were Gustav Mahler (1897-1907), Richard Strauss (1919-1924), Herbert von Karajan (1956-1964), Lorin Maazel (1982-1984), Seiji Ozawa (2002-2010), and Franz Welser-Möst (2010-). When the opera house, partially destroyed by bombing during World War II, was being reconstructed during the period 1947-1955, the VSOO remained quite active, not least in the recording studio. In the early '50s, for example, Hermann Scherchen made a dozen or so recordings with the VSOO of orchestral works by Beethoven, Bartók, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and others. Conductors Mário Rossi and Jonathan Sternberg also made a number of recordings with the VSOO during that period. Among the VSOO's later recordings is the 2007 TDK DVD of Verdi's Don Carlo under conductor Bertrand de Billy.
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Waltzes
Vienna Volksoper Orchestra, Martin Jones, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Music Manager on 29 Jan 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Orchestral Suite, No. 2 & 4
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 14 May 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Holst: The Planets, Op. 32
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 6 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Strauss-Offenbach Bouquet
Josef Drexler, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Josef Strauss, Johann Strauss I, Jacques Offenbach
Classical - Released by Music Manager on 23 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 100 In G Major (“Military”) / Symphony No. 45 In F Sharp Minor (“Farewell”)
Classical - Released by Music Manager on 9 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vienna Bonbons (Mood Music for Listening and Relaxation)
Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Josef Leo Gruber
Electronic - Released by Astorg Records on 1 Jan 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Musikens Mästare: Bach
Mieczysław Horszowski, Felix Prohaska, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Music 4me on 14 Nov 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies by Scherchen, Vol. 3
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Tahra on 25 Aug 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Manuel De Falla: The Three-Cornered Hat (Complete Ballet)
Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Enrique Jorda, Barbara Howitt
Classical - Released by Music Manager on 12 Sep 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Symphony No.101 in D Major 'Clock'
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Classically on 19 Oct 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Symphony No.95 in C Minor
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Classically on 11 Oct 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Royal Fireworks Music / Water Music
Classical - Released by Stage Door on 15 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F Major "pastoral" Op. 68
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Classically on 15 Sep 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: symphony no. 2 in C minor "resurrection"
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Vienna Academy Chorus
Classical - Released by Classically on 30 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Opera Highlights: Daniza Ilitsch
Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Hans Swarowsky, Daniza Ilitsch
Opera - Released by Vienna Classics Records on 1 Nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto No. 14 For Piano And Orchestra In C-Minor, K. 491 / Piano Sonata In B-Flat, K. 333
Denis Matthews, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Hans Swarowsky, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Pop - Released by Music Manager on 26 Mar 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Waltzes of Johann Strauss
Josef Leo Gruber, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ancien Prodige on 15 Dec 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
American Waltzes
Reg Owen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ancien Prodige on 15 Dec 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Symphony No.103 in E Flat Major 'Drum Roll'
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ancien Prodige on 25 Oct 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Symphony No.100 in G Major 'Military'
Hermann Scherchen, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ancien Prodige on 19 Oct 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Julian Olevsky, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Classical - Released by Discover Classical Music on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo