Thomas de Hartmann - Esther (Kirill Karabits)

Information

Composer: Thomas de Hartmann

• Esther

Corinne Winters; Yuriy Yurchuk; Andrew Foster-Williams

Bernard Richter; Olga Bezsmertna

Edwin Crossley-Mercer; Paul Appleby

The Grange Festival Chorus / William Vann, chorusmaster

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Kirill Karabits, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: PentaTone

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The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Kirill Karabits, with Corinne Winters leading the cast, presents the world premiere recording of Thomas de Hartmann’s rediscovered opera Esther. Composed during the Nazi occupation of Paris, the work reflects the composer’s response to the Holocaust, drawing parallels with the Biblical story as adapted from Racine. Revived through detailed study of the manuscript and a new performing edition, Esther blends operatic and oratorio elements, combining monologues, choral writing, and rich orchestration. Influenced by de Hartmann’s diverse training and stylistic evolution, it stands as his most ambitious late work and a significant revival within the ongoing Thomas de Hartmann Project.

Thomas de Hartmann (1885–1956) was a Russian-born composer trained at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under major figures such as Rimsky-Korsakov, Arensky, and Taneyev. Initially known for vocal and piano works and ballets, including The Pink Flower, he gained early recognition in imperial Russia before studying conducting in Munich. After the Russian Revolution, he lived in Tiflis and later Paris, eventually settling in New York. A close collaborator of George Gurdjieff, he co-created music for spiritual practices and documented their work. Stylistically, his music evolved from Russian nationalism to modernism, reflecting a diverse and cosmopolitan artistic life.