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NEWS:

March 24 — first performance of the ballet Rilke, including the Berg Violin Concerto with renowned violinist Rainer Kussmaul, former concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic.

March 25 — podcast interview with Charles Reid at http://thisoperalife.charles-reid.com/

Trafton is currently 1st Kapellmeister at the prestigious Nationaltheater Mannheim.   Productions this season include La Gioconda, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Boheme, Macbeth, Carmen, Bernhard Lang’s Montezuma — Fallender Adler (2009),  the ballet Rilke, including the Berg Violin Concerto with soloist Rainer Kussmaul, as well as  My Fair Lady.  In addition, he conducts family symphonic concerts as well the world premiere of Neumond by Lucia Ronchetti commissioned for the Mannheimer Mozartsommer.

“Choir and orchester, playing initially sensitively and rich in colors under young 1st Kapellmeister Joseph Trafton, have to shape the night with the singers and do this with considerable precision and at times very grippingly…” (Lucia di Lammermoor premiere)

Mannheimer Morgen

“Under the direction of Joseph Trafton, the Staatsorchester played in top form, virtuosic in the soloistic passages, with Italian elán and intuition for the young voices…“ (Capuleti e Montecchi)

Braunschweiger Zeitung

“Conductor Joseph Trafton conquered the podium with verve… effortlessly he and the orchestra captivated the audience, delivering the Overture from Bizet’s hot-blooded Carmen with splendid character.”

Stader Tageblatt

“Frenzied applause and bravos for Joseph Trafton with the rhythmically tight Staatsorchester.” (Carmen ballet)

Braunschweiger Zeitung