Emilie Jaulmes

Verdi: Overture from La Forza del Destino
Mozart: Flute and Harp Concerto – Allegro
Mahler: Symphony No. 5 – Adagietto
Bizet: Carmen Fantasy for Flute
Smetana: The Moldau
Offenbach: Can-Can & Barcarole
Johann Strauss II: On the Beautiful Blue Danube – Waltz

Janine Schöllhorn – flute
Emilie Jaulmes – harp
Residenz Soloists

A Musical Journey Across Europe

This concert takes the audience on a deeply emotional journey through opera houses and river landscapes across Europe, combining dramatic intensity with playful elegance.

The evening opens with Verdi’s Overture to La Forza del Destino. The work begins with three bold opening notes—the famous “fate motif”—before unfolding into the opera’s most beautiful melodies. Anecdotally, Verdi believed the opera was cursed: during several productions, lead performers died on stage or scenery collapsed. The thrilling overture is so powerful that many conductors approach it even today with extra reverence, as if not to tempt fate.

A moment of pure serenity follows in Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto (Allegro), one of the few Classical works combining these ethereal instruments. Anecdote: Mozart wrote this double concerto for a French duke and his daughter. Despite privately mocking the “impossible” pairing of instruments, he created a score that sounds so effortlessly graceful, it seems as though angels themselves guided his pen.

We then enter the depths of Romanticism with Mahler’s Adagietto from Symphony No. 5. Written for strings and harp alone, it is one of the most touching musical love letters in history. Anecdote: Mahler sent the manuscript to his future wife Alma without a single word; she understood the music as a marriage proposal. The piece later gained worldwide fame through the film Death in Venice, though for Mahler, it was not a farewell, but a passionate promise of eternal love.

The mood ignites with Bizet’s Carmen Fantasy for Flute, based on the opera. This work demands peak virtuosity from the soloist. Today, the fiery rhythms of the Habanera and the Gypsy Song remain among the most recognizable melodies in the world, brilliantly transcribed for flute.

Following the flow of water, we encounter Smetana’s The Moldau. From the first trickle of two small springs, the music grows into a powerful river, passing hunting scenes and a village wedding. Anecdote: Smetana composed this Czech national epic while completely deaf. He could hear the roaring rapids of the St. John’s River only in his imagination—a testament to extraordinary creativity despite physical hardship.

The evening concludes with masters of light entertainment. Offenbach first transports us with the dreamy Barcarole to a Venetian gondola, before unleashing the infamous Can-Can, celebrating the vibrant nightlife of Paris. Anecdote: When it first appeared, the Can-Can was considered scandalous and indecent, with police checking that dancers’ legs did not rise too high on stage.

Finally, Johann Strauss II’s On the Beautiful Blue Danube sweeps the audience into a glittering Viennese finale, a joyous celebration of dance, elegance, and European musical tradition.

Verdi: Overture from La Forza del Destino
Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp – Allegro
Mahler: Symphony No. 5, Adagietto
Debussy: Danse sacrée et danse profane
Bizet: Carmen Fantasy for Flute
Smetana: The Moldau
Offenbach: Can-Can & Barcarole
J. Strauss: The Blue Danube – Waltz

Janine Schöllhorn – Flute, Emilie Jaulmes – Harp & Residenz Soloists

This concert takes the audience on a highly emotional journey through Europe’s opera houses and river landscapes, carried by dramatic fate and elegant dance.

The evening opens with Verdi’s overture to La Forza del Destino. The work begins with three striking opening notes—the famous “Fate motif”—before unfolding the most beautiful melodies from the opera. Anecdote: Verdi was convinced that this opera was cursed. In fact, in several productions, lead performers died on stage or scenery collapsed. The gripping overture is so intense that many conductors today approach it with extra reverence, as if to avoid challenging fate itself.

A moment of pure serenity follows with Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp (Allegro). One of the few Classical works combining these two ethereal instruments, it was commissioned by a French duke and his daughter. Anecdote: Mozart privately mocked the “impossible” pairing, yet he produced a score that sounds so effortlessly light, as if angels themselves had guided his pen.

We experience the deepest Romanticism in Mahler’s Adagietto from his Fifth Symphony. Composed solely for strings and harp, it is one of the most touching musical declarations of love in history. Anecdote: Mahler sent the manuscript to his future wife Alma without a single word; she understood it as a marriage proposal. The piece later gained worldwide fame through the film Death in Venice, but for Mahler, it was not a farewell—it was a glowing promise of eternal love.

The mood shifts to Spanish fire with Bizet’s Carmen Fantasy for flute. Based on Bizet’s opera, the work demands peak virtuosity from the soloist. Today, the fiery rhythms of the Habanera and the Gypsy Song are among the most beloved melodies in the world, here brilliantly transposed for the flute.

We follow the course of the river with Smetana’s The Moldau. From the first trickle of two small streams, the music swells into a mighty river flowing past hunting scenes and a village wedding. Anecdote: When Smetana composed this national epic, he was already completely deaf. He could only hear the roaring of the St. Johann Rapids in his imagination—a testament to extraordinary creative power despite physical adversity.

The grand finale features masters of entertainment. Offenbach first transports us to a gondola in Venice with the dreamy Barcarole, before the notorious Can-Can celebrates Parisian nightlife. Anecdote: When it premiered, the Can-Can was considered so scandalous and indecent that the police inspected dance halls to ensure dancers’ legs did not rise too high.

Corelli: Christmas Concerto
Vivaldi: Flute Concerto “La notte”
Haydn: Concerto for Flute and Harp
Borne: "Carmen Fantasy" for Flute
Smetana: "The Moldau" (aus Má vlast)
Tchaikovsky: Highlights from "The Nutcracker" & “Swan Lake”
Offenbach: Can-Can & Barcarolle

Janine Schöllhorn - Flute, Emilie Jaulmes – Harp & Residenz Solisten

Arcangelo Corelli opens our journey into the Baroque world with his famous "Christmas Concerto." Written "for the night of the Nativity," it exudes a solemn tranquility. The highlight is the finale—a Pastorale whose swaying rhythms evoke images of shepherds in the fields. Antonio Vivaldi provides a thrilling contrast with his flute concerto "La Notte" (The Night). Here, we experience not a silent night, but one filled with ghosts and dreams. Vivaldi masterfully uses the flute to depict flickering shadows and nocturnal unrest—an early masterpiece of program music.

Classical balance returns with Joseph Haydn. His Concerto for Flute and Harp (often performed as an arrangement of the double concerto for flute and oboe) is a prime example of elegance. The harp lends the work a silvery shimmer that perfectly complements the flute's virtuosic lines. A very different kind of virtuosity awaits in François Borne’s "Carmen Fantasy"—a true firework display for the flute. Borne takes the passionate themes from Bizet’s opera Carmen and transforms them into a high-octane showpiece that demands everything from the soloist, from fateful motifs and the seductive Habanera to the fiery gypsy dance and the proud march of the toreros.

The full power of the orchestra unfolds in Bedřich Smetana’s "The Moldau." We follow the river from its two small springs—represented by two shimmering flutes—to its majestic flow through Prague. Smetana succeeded in capturing the soul of his Bohemian homeland, even though the main theme is actually based on an old Swedish folk song he encountered during his time in Gothenburg.

A fairytale highlight is set by the selections from Peter Tchaikovsky’s ballets. Whether it is the majestic entrance of the swan knight in "Swan Lake" or the enchanting character dances from "The Nutcracker," Tchaikovsky was the undisputed magician of melody. Finally, Jacques Offenbach provides a rousing conclusion. While the "Barcarolle" from The Tales of Hoffmann gently rocks us in a Venetian gondola, the famous "Can-Can" from Orpheus in the Underworld will inevitably pull you from your seats. Originally intended as a satire of Parisian society, this wild dance became the ultimate symbol of French joie de vivre.

Corelli: Christmas Concerto
Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp – Allegro 
Borne: “Carmen Fantasy” for Flute 
Smetana: “The Moldau” 
Tchaikovsky: Highlights from “The Nutcracker” & “Swan Lake” 
Offenbach: Can-Can & Barcarolle
Strauss: Waltz “The Blue Danube” 

Janine Schöllhorn - Flute, Emilie Jaulmes – Harp & Residence-Soloists

 

Arcangelo Corelli's famous Christmas Concerto marks the beginning of our journey into the world of the Baroque. Written "for the night of Christ's birth," it exudes a solemn tranquility. The highlight is the finale, a pastoral whose lilting rhythms evoke the image of shepherds in the fields. 
Antonio Vivaldi's flute concerto "La Notte" (The Night) provides a fascinating contrast. Here, we experience not a silent night, but one filled with ghosts and dreams. Vivaldi masterfully uses the flute to musically depict fluttering shadows and nocturnal restlessness—an early example of program music. 
With Mozart, a classical balance returns. His Concerto for Flute and Harp is a prime example of elegance. The harp lends the work a silvery sheen that perfectly complements the flute's virtuosic lines. 
A completely different kind of virtuosity is encountered in the music of François Borne. His "Carmen Fantasy" is a true firework display for the flute. He takes the passionate themes from Bizet's opera "Carmen" and transforms them into a highly virtuosic showpiece that demands everything from the soloist – from the fateful motifs and the seductive Habanera to the fiery Gypsy Dance and the proud March of the Toreadors. 
The orchestra's power is fully unleashed in Bedřich Smetana's "The Moldau." We accompany the river from its two small sources – represented by two shimmering flutes – to its majestic current flowing through Prague. Here, Smetana succeeded in capturing the soul of his Bohemian homeland in music, although the main theme is actually based on an old Swedish folk song he encountered during his time in Gothenburg. 
Highlights from the ballets of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky provide a fairytale-like highlight. Whether it was the majestic entrance of the Swan Knight in "Swan Lake" or the enchanting character dances from "The Nutcracker," Tchaikovsky was the undisputed magician of melody. 
Jacques Offenbach provides the rousing finale. While the Barcarolle from "The Tales of Hoffmann" gently rocks us in a Venetian gondola, the famous Can-Can from "Orpheus in the Underworld" irresistibly sweeps us from our seats. Originally conceived as a satire on Parisian society, this wild dance became the epitome of French joie de vivre.