Vinyl Release: Wertmüller “Shlimazl” – with Titus Engel, Basel Sinfonietta & NDR Bigband

In the new work “Shlimazl” by the Swiss composer Michael Wertmüller, symphony orchestra and big band merge into a virtuoso, polymetric organism that not only transcends styles, but also a perceived linearity of time. In doing so, he explicitly takes up the rich tradition of the big band, and revitalises it within the symphonic context under new auspices and allows it to take off. All the soloists act like a picture within a picture within the big band, which oscillates between musical nucleus, place of concentration and utopian space of freedom.

Since the 23/24 season, Titus Engel has been Principal Conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta, with whom he performed Wertmüller’s “Shlimazl” at the opening concert of the Ruhrtriennale 2023 (as a commissioned work) – supported by the NDR Big Band and the outstanding soloists Lucas Niggli (drums) and Kalle Kalima (electric guitar).

With his comprehensive view of repertoire from a wide range of musical eras, he consistently grasps works in their multifaceted relationality. Respected for his expertise in the field of historical performance practice as well as for his precise conducting of complex contemporary projects, the Berlin-based Zurich native can also be seen regularly performing central works of opera literature. Always ready to break new ground in his exploration of staged concepts on the podium, he sees music theatre as a field of experimentation in which social utopias can flourish. At the moment he is also conducting the new opera “ECHO 72” by Michael Wertmüller at the Staatsoper Hannover.

The recording of the concert on 1.3.23 at the Musica Festival Strasbourg has now been released on vinyl by Trost Records (release date 7.2.). The album is currently available digitally on Bandcamp.