Javier Huerta Gimeno returned to Weimar on 31 August to conduct the Staatskapelle Weimar and the STÜBAphilharmonie at Kunstfest Weimar, in a programme pairing Arvo Pärt’s Fratres with Gustav Holst’s The Planets.
A review in Thüringer Allgemeine singled out the ensemble’s “cohesive overall impression” and Huerta Gimeno’s “energetic conducting”, with the performance receiving a standing ovation. The newspaper also praised the subtlety and refinement of the interpretation, far removed from a merely cinematic approach, and the conductor’s ability to shape and connect the contrasting sound worlds of Holst’s suite.
The concert also marked a particularly meaningful return to Weimar for Javier Huerta Gimeno. Having previously been a member of the Staatskapelle Weimar as a cellist, he returned to the city in a new capacity, this time conducting the orchestra alongside the STÜBAphilharmonie as part of Kunstfest Weimar.
