About Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s work in Oradea

Dittersdorf bélyegBishop Ádám Patachich was absolutely fascinated by the young violinist’s virtuosity and he immediately entrusted the leadership of his orchestra, hence the task of increasing the number of musicians, with Viennese artists from Prague. Dittersdorf was able to find exceptional musicians and when he returned to Oradea on 1st of April 1764, he was accompanied by well-known artists. A few days later, the orchestra conducted by Dittersdorf presented itself to the public in the Episcopal court with great success. Since then, concerts were held regularly, every Sunday and Tuesday.

The conductor and his orchestra

Although Dittersdorf began his career as a violin player at the royal court orchestra in Vienna, he soon turned towards writing music. His style was following the classical style of Haydn. He was a talented conductor with works defined by wit. He wrote oratorios, church music, cantatas, symphonies, operas and dictated his biography – referring to the years spent in Oradea – to his son, at the end of his life.

He replenished the orchestra, and among the 34 musicians we were able to find the composer of Czech origin: Wenzel Pichl, which in addition to being a concert master for Dittersdorf, wrote the lyrics for his oratorios. The number of the orchestra members was significant given that, back then, no major European orchestra hired more musicians.

The members of the orchestra were rather unusual. Many were liberal disciples, servants at the Bishop’s court. Appreciating the comedian talent of an Italian chef, the conductor selected him for a role in one of his operas. Dittersdorf was able to highlight very easily, the talent and musicality in ordinary people. He proves his ability with a flashback from his native Czech Republic: gathered at an outdoor performance, the peasants have sung together – almost to perfection – some parts of the opera.

Oratorios

The young conductor quickly decided to present not only concerts, but oratorios and operas, as well. His new landlord supported him with everything he needed to enable the fulfilment of the artistic ideas.

The subject of these operas matched the current of the epoch. The oratorio entitled “Isaac”, a result of Metastasio’s tragedy was composed in those times.

One comment of the epoch states: “The decorated hall was filled with distinguished guests, with the owner quite surprised that the orchestra members were dressed in sophisticated costumes. Another surprise was the oratory stage: Ibrahim’s house in the grove. A sophisticated and stylish ensemble, new and beautiful costumes. When the performance was over, the audience was delighted while the composer was dowered with a gift box containing materials. For four years, the audience has longed to see the oratory, and His Excellency asked for a performance during every fasting periods.”

Among all performances, this one was the most successful and encouraged Dittersdorf to put on stage happy and ordinary operas. The dead men’s Empire, Lady Sybilla does not drink wine, et cetera, are such works were.

Cheerful works

Püspöki PalotaThe comic opera “Amore in musica” has an interesting story.

A young conductor meets the daughter of the cashier Markovits and falls for her. But neither the conservative father nor the daughter recognized the artists’ value, so they refused Dittersdorf. The disillusioned musician travels to Vienna in order to forget about this. He comes across the work of Metastasio and composes an opera, which he brings back to Oradea. The show was of such grandeur that the royal court orchestra was filled-in with musicians from the Regiment Neu-Kleinhod led by artist Hohenhole-Schillingfürst.

Starting with that moment on, the classical music is withdrawn and mirth, games, huge festivities with dancing are taking over.

The orchestra is disbanded

The officers wanted more and more cheerful performances. The colonel surprises the Bishop with a folk dance and Dittersdorf mentions that the show has ended with a convoy of wedding guests. With the occasion of the celebration of his name day, Bishop Patachich, on the other hand, has set-up a masquerade party. This was the last party in the episcopal palace.

Patachich’s enemies have sent their reports to the court of Vienna, and right after that Queen Maria Theresa’s Secretary has issued an order to disband the orchestra. In 1769, Dittersdorf returned to Vienna thus ending a decade of great results and successes. The musical life would be locked away for a long time. It was not until the early 19th century that music returned to its place, especially opera. (The Torch pg. 3, August 11th, 1967 – Article written by Sándor Thurzó and Tuduka Oszkár: Concerts in the mid eighteenth century)

64388thurzo Sandor Thurzó Sándor  Tuduka Oszkár Tuduka Oszkár

Concert Calendar

<>
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
26272829   
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
2627282930  
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28      
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
       
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
242526272829 
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728   
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728    
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728     
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
29      
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
232425262728 
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
2425262728  
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728   
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829    
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
  12345
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28      
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
       
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       

Concert archive