Shortly before Whitsun, the Bodensee Festival drew to a close with a firework of high quality events. In Überlingen, Artist in Residence Stefan Vladar, with his Vienna Chamber Orchestra, started the Schumann countdown, while at the same time the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Murray Perahia played in Friedrichshafen. A little farther away, in St. Gallen the popular Raschèr Saxophone Quartet was on stage. The next day, Vladar, again with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, completed the Schumann symphony cycle in Weingarten, while the Kronos Quartet played in Friedrichshafen (review on the „Kultur in der Region“ page). So much musical expertise around the lake, all at once – that’s gratifying. Yet, the disturbing question arises: Aren’t the presenters competing with themselves?

We’ll still have to wait a while for the actual figures concerning the Bodensee Festival. Because of a complicated organizational structure with many parts, an evaluation is always only available a few weeks after the closing of the Festival. It seems though that there haven’t been any drastic changes compared to last year. Then, 17,321 visitors attended around 80 events of the Bodensee Festival, which represents about 77 per cent of capacity.

It is already possible, nonetheless, to state that the idea of an Artist in Residence, to be heard all around the lake, has proven itself in the sixth season as well. The eight concerts that Stefan Vladar gave as conductor or pianist (sometimes in both roles) were all well attended, sometimes sold out. However, there were differences: while the concert with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra under Vladar in the Weingarten Cultural and Congress Centre sold out quickly, it was uncertain to the last whether the Franziskanerkirche in Überlingen would be filled. In the end, it was full. Perhaps the reluctant acceptance was connected to the venue: an orchestra concert in the church is rather unusual, except for the performance of sacred works. In Weingarten, on the other hand, a concert hall with 900 seats was available.

Stefan Vladar and his Vienna Chamber Orchestra weren’t affected by the differing conditions (echoing church acoustics in the first case, very dry congress auditorium acoustics in the second). On the first evening their playing seemed maybe a little more committed and relaxed – which is no wonder in light of the inspiring „Rhenish“ Symphony (Schumann’s Third), which was on the programme there (in Weingarten, it was the „Spring“ Symphony). Already in the first movement, Vladar and his orchestra reached a state of high-flying euphoria. Schumann wrote the work in an unusually short time, after he had assumed the position of Music Director in Düsseldorf. And this burst of creativity was also evident in Vladar’s interpretation.

But this energy was already there in Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto – like every concert by the Artist in residence, it was characterized by a heightened energy level. In the Piano Concertos No. 3 and No. 5, which Vladar played in Überlingen and Weingarten respectively, he performed the solo parts himself, conducting from the piano. And nothing was missing. Instead, you could see how the enormous energy that the pianist Vladar generated at the piano was transmitted to the orchestra when he wasn’t playing – like a ball that keeps flying when it is shot over a border line.

Up to now, it has been clear that Stefan Vladar was not among the most popular celebrated performers. He took over the direction of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra from Heinrich Schiff, who was Artist in Residence of the Bodensee Festival two years ago. Perhaps this was how the connection to Vladar came about. In any case, it was a good choice – his name will be fondly remembered on Lake Constance.

Next year, clarinettist Sharon Kam, who was already heard this year in a chamber concert, will be the Artist in Residence. In general, one can be curious about the coming seasons, when Florian Riem, together with Winfried Neumann, succeeds Henner Faehndrich in running the Bodensee Festival. The manager of the Südwestdeutschen Philharmonie Konstanz has stated that he wishes to strengthen the position of his own orchestra within the Festival. Will this increase the acceptance by the people of Constance in the long term?

The 23rd International Bodensee Festival 2011 takes place from May 13 to June 13, 2011 under the motto „Vienna Impulse“. The Artist in Residence is Sharon Kam.

Translation by John Allan Moffatt.