The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced the formation of an in-house label, Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings (BSORec). Founded to document both the versatility and artistic independence of the Bayerische Staatsoper, BSORec will release exclusive audio and video recordings ranging from opera productions, major symphonic works, and highlights from the Staatsoper’s archives, to chamber recordings and productions from the CAMPUS youth program.
“The founding of an in-house label is the consistent further development of our long-standing strategy of independence and a further building block alongside STAATSOPER.TV,” explains General Manager Nikolaus Bachler. “The house is then free, in harmony with the performers and artists, to very specifically present the unrivaled, broadly diversified program to even more classical music lovers all over the world.”
BSORec formally launches on May 28 with a recording of Gustav Mahler’s 7th Symphony, conducted by then-General Music Director Kirill Petrenko during the sixth Academy Concert in the 2017-18 season. The audio recording from Munich’s Nationaltheater will be available in specialist shops, online, and on the Staatsoper’s website; pre-orders can be made now.
This inaugural release will be followed in July by an audio-visual recording of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die tote Stadt with Marlis Petersen and Jonas Kaufmann, also conducted by Kirill Petrenko. This recording captures the 2019 premiere of Simon Stone’s production, after which Joshua Barone wrote in The New York Times: “[The] work’s comeback may have reached its peak at the Bavarian State Opera. It’s difficult to imagine a better case for Die tote Stadt than was made in Munich.” Die tote Stadt will be available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Future releases will include an audio recording of Beethoven’s 2nd Symphony and Brett Dean’s Testament, conducted by General Music Director designate Vladimir Jurowski; the recording is expected to be available at the end of 2021. Jurowski recently joined the Staatsoper for the premiere of a new Barry Kosky-led production of Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier.
BSOrec offerings will be available on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray, and with all major streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Idagio, and Napster. Releases from BSORec will be accompanied by hardcover booklets, including liner notes, essays, and background information on the pieces, productions, and artists involved. The label’s logo draws on the iconic façade of Munich’s Nationaltheater; rotated 90º, the building’s double gable becomes a forward-looking symbol.
