Repertoire 2025
The German Conducting Award equally takes the genres of opera and concert into consideration in the repertoire and thus demands cross-genre skills from the candidates.
1st Round (closed to public)
14 - 17 October 2025
12 candidates
SYMPHONIC REPERTOIRE
WDR Sinfonieorchester
- Group of œuvres No. 1:
Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 92 in G major Hob.I:92
or
W. A. Mozart: Symphony No. 41 in C major K. 551 ‘Jupiter Symphony’ - Group of œuvres No. 2:
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E flat major op. 55 ‘Eroica’
or
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F major op. 90
One œuvre must be prepared from each group of œuvres.
OPERA REPERTOIRE
Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne and Ensemble Members of the Oper Köln
- W. A. Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro - trio no. 7 Susanna, Basilio and Conte
- W. A. Mozart: Così fan tutte - duet no. 23 Dorabella and Guglielmo
- W. A. Mozart: Così fan tutte - duet no. 29 Fiordiligi and Ferrando
- Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus - duet Rosalinde and Eisenstein (Act 2)
- Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus - trio Rosalinde, Alfred and Eisenstein (Act 3)
- Peter I. Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin - final scene for Tatyana and Onegin
- Giacomo Puccini: La Bohème - Duet Rodolfo and Marcello (beginning of Image 4)
- Alban Berg: Wozzeck - Street scene, Act 2, Scene 3, Marie and Wozzeck
Three opera works by three different composers must be prepared, one of which must be by Mozart.
2nd Round (open to public)
17 October 2025 (public rehearsal)
10:00–11:40 a.m. and 12:10–1:50 p.m. (WDR Sinfonieorchester)
Kölner Philharmonie
6 candidates
SYMPHONIC REPERTOIRE
WDR Sinfonieorchester
- Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Symphony in one movement (first version 1951)
- Peter Eötvös: Sirens' Song (2020)
Both œuvre are mandatory.
3rd Round (open to public, except for the general rehearsal on 20 October 2025)
18 – 20 October 2025
Kölner Philharmonie
3 candidates
18 October 2025 (public rehearsals)
10:00-13:00 (Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Oper Köln)
14:00-17:30 (WDR Sinfonieorchester)
20 October 2025 (non-public rehearsal)
dress rehearsal
20 October 2025
19:00 Final Concert
SYMPHONIC REPERTOIRE
WDR Sinfonieorchester
- Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Concert Overture ‘The Hebrides’ op. 26
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Egmont Overture op. 84
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3 op. 72b
- Robert Schumann: Manfred Overture op. 115
- Johannes Brahms: Tragic Overture in D minor op. 81
- Maurice Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin
- Igor Stravinsky: Pulcinella Suite (without Tarantella and Gavotta)
The candidate must prepare three œuvres.
OPERA REPERTOIRE
Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne and Ensemble Members of the Oper Köln
- W. A. Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro - trio no. 7 Susanna, Basilio and Conte
- W. A. Mozart: Così fan tutte - duet no. 23 Dorabella and Guglielmo
- W. A. Mozart: Così fan tutte - duet no. 29 Fiordiligi and Ferrando
- Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus - duet Rosalinde and Eisenstein (Act 2)
- Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus - trio Rosalinde, Alfred and Eisenstein (Act 3)
- Peter I. Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin - final scene for Tatyana and Onegin
- Giacomo Puccini: La Bohème - Duet Rodolfo and Marcello (beginning of Act 4)
- Alban Berg: Wozzeck - Street scene, Act 2, Scene 3, Marie and Wozzeck and chamber orchestra
Three opera works by three different composers must be prepared, one of which must be by Mozart. The selection may be identical to the selection for the first round.
Encore of the winner in the final concert
Ludwig van Beethoven: Overture from ‘The Creatures of Prometheus’ op. 43 (Gürzenich-Orchester Köln)
