Musicians: Christofer Johnsson: Guitar Kristian Niemann: Lead and rhythm guitars Johann Niemann: Bass guitar Petter Karlsson: Drums Conductor Markus Stollenwerk Vocal Soloists Lori Lewis Judit V. Molnar Andras Molnar Gergely Boncser Mats Levén Violin I Tamas Kriston Maria Lazanyi Eva Siklosi Monika Zsekoc Beata Lukacs Boglarka Balog Violin II Zsofia Nagy Zoltan Kerenyi Banjamin Almassy Marta Szabo Viola Ildiko Monok Jozsef Kautzky Janos Feher Ildiko Gyori Cello Annamaria Bodi Eszter Vass Doublebass Gizella Keresztfalvi Arpad Balog Piano and organ Andreas Bujtas Oboe Beata Tatar Klara Majoros Flute Tamas Siklosi Marianna Moori Clarinet Sandor Czimer Ferenc Menyhart Bassoon Istvan Halasz Erno Garamvolgyi Horn Eniko Ferencz Laszlo Nagy Balint Varga Sandor Horvath Janos Leiter Lilla Viragh Trumpet Gyorgy Aranyosi Janos Muranyi Trombone Istvan Juhasz Istvan Molnar Csaba Szilagyi Tuba Tamas Veres Timpani Tamas Domotor Percussion Balasz Sebe Miskolk Bartok Choir Dr. Aniko Kaposvari Dr. Boglarka Rostas Beata Fazekas Gabriella Fazekas Imelda Gabor Sz. Gabriella Gardusne Bea Huri Judit Kerek David Kiss Adrienn Kovacs Janos Krizsak Gabor Magda Istvanne Marton Eva Meszaros Denes Murvai Jozef Murvai Nora Murvai Bodnar Ildiko Murvaine Agnes Nemeth Aron Orosz Bence Sandor Zoltan Sandor Zsofia Sandor Papp Edit Sandorne Anita Sebestyen Janos Stefan Erdei Ticia Stefanne Tivadar Szucs Virag Telegdi Zsuzsanna Timko Szucs Judit Zubalyne Leader of Miskolc Bartok Choir Sandor Zoltan Choir of Miskolc National Theatre Zsuzsa Adamy Angelika Hircsu Marta Illes Boglarka Jambrik Agnes Liptak Marta Lorincz Edina Kecskemeti Zsuzsa Kurucz Mariann Majlath Noemi Mihalcsek Reka Muranyi Eva Orth Poschenko Oksana Ildiko Simon Maria Takacs Anett Cseh-Simon Akos Baksy Laszlo Bodor Gergely Irlanda Akos Koleszar Gergo Kos Andras Marton Erik Molnar Robert Molnar Denes Murvai Nandor Nagy Ivan Nagy Tibor Osvath Leader of Choir of Miskolc National Theatre Zsolt Regos Comments from Chris It would have been an easy choice just to take a bunch of THERION songs, stand on a stage with an orchestra, and just play. I’m sure we would have been having a very grateful crowd for that. But THERION isn’t a band that settles for what is ‘good enough’, we want to do more than that. So much of what you will hear and see are exclusively arranged for this event and one previous we did in Romania and we wish to offer you a musical journey where the band both enters the classical world as humble guests, as well as inviting the classical players and singers into out world. There are several ways to incorporate opera and classical music with metal and rock music. Most rock musicians would do it in a rather chauvinistic way – looking upon themselves as the stars and the orchestra, choir, soloists and conductor as a bunch of people just helping them to realize some spectacular event they would do at some point in their career. And as they are the big stars, they would play over the compositions like a bulldozer, adding guitar chords in every inch of even the classical pieces. Here, THERION tries to show a great diversity by knowing what style and which rock instruments to play in each place, and (very important) when to be quiet and let the orchestra do their thing undisturbed, in which some dynamics between the two worlds can grow. The two parts PART I First you will discover how a Therion song could sound like if converted into a piece for orchestra. While being an event with much of its focus on bringing classical music into rock and metal music, it is only fair to also make an attempt of the opposite. Indeed a rock song is never able to become a true classical composition no matter what you do with it, due to the solid foundation on contemporary thinking it consists of – but nevertheless it makes it interesting enough to re-arrange it into orchestral music and perform it in a way that the classical musicians are familiar with. Secondly we have arranged various classical and opera compositions to allow us to take part in it. And it is here you will really see and hear the big difference in attitude compared with other bands that did similar things before us. We are here allowed to show how a band can make a respectful journey into the world of some of the most famous classical composers works. Many people would take for granted that the band must play 100% of the time and fight to uphold the status of the rock/metal elements. But I want to have the dynamics and life and interplay between the worlds and play where it makes sense and not just play something for the sake of having to play all the time and by that ruin both the composition and the effect of the band’s presence. Take an instrument like Timpani (orchestral drum) for example. It’s a lovely and very powerful instrument. But what happens if we use it all the time? If we over use it? It will loose its power and just become a noisy instrument blocking much of what we love many compositions for. In many regards, this is how we must look upon a rock band performing too, though the band of course offers much more greater diversity and more possibilities than the percussional instrument in my example. However, as there was a majority of the audience being into metal music attending the event, I took the decision we also need some pieces where the band would play through the entire piece, played rather heavy. An acceptable compromise between being artists and entertainers. It was great challenge to do this in a truthfully respectful way and in order not to overdo it, shorter excerpts were used for this purpose. All in all, I think the mix turned out rather tasteful and entertaining, while at the same time tributing the composers the way they deserve. PART II This part of the evening needs no deeper introduction. It has always been the dream of me as a composer to be able to perform my works live with a huge arrangements and financial resources needed to pull this off hasn’t been available. My dream has been shared by many thousands of fans over the world and finally it happened and I’m happy to be able to offer one of the two events on this DVD. THERION would like to give a very special thanx to Richard Peach in general, but particulary for his outstanding efforts around this event. Christoger also would like to send a thankx to Tamas Bator and Szabolcs Horvath and the Miskolc International Opera Festival for the opportunity to pull off the event, for making it possible for us to film it and for offering the documentary and photos for the DVD. Other people who have made great efforts in support of this product and deserve a warm thanx are Aquarius Foundation, Markus Stollenwerk, Maor Appelbaum, Sigge and Fuse and the always so amazingly supportive guys at Nuclear Blast Records. Christofer Johnsson plays Gibson guitars exclusively and uses the Tronical PowerTune system, because he wants the best. Kristian Niemann plays Ibanez guitars and uses Crafton musical products exclusively. Johan Niemann plays Ashdown amplifies exclusively. Petter Karlsson plays Meinl cymbals and Tama drums and sticks. Other Info Recorder in Miskolc, Hungary, June 16 2007 Mixed by Petter Karlsson Audio discs mastered by Maor Appelbaum Video cutting, editting and 5.1 mix by Fuse Photography by Krisztian Bocsi Artwork&Design by Thomas Ewerhard STAGE SOUND AND LIGHT crew: FOH: Richard Peach, REFO Ltd – Sound, Light, Truss, Stage, Backline RENTAL, Tamas Balog, Peter Balog, Laszlo Lugosi , Miklos Gere, LV Bundi, LV Fery, Lavi, Jana, Chris, Janos Kramcsak, Tamas Bukoczki, Bygyo, Krisztian Makar, Laszlo Molnar, Adam Molnar, Jozef Karacsony FILM CREW: Director: Miklos Borsos Director of Photography: Balazs Loth Production manager: Peter Fulop Production coordinator: Zoltan Vladucz Cameramen: Laszlo Blaho, Gabor Kertai, Albert Czomba, Tamas Petovari, Aszter Hidvegi, Robert Adok, Jimmy Jib Operators: Gabor Dorcsak, Attila Seeger, Peter Pallay Key grip: Balazs Michl Transportation manager: Csaba B. Kiss HDV technician: Gabor Dorcsak Technical Supervisor: Mihaly Mike Bolcskey Making of video: Zoltan Vladucz Equipment rental: Goldfish.hu Ltd., Mafilmrent Ltd. Location shooting by: Mark Productions Ltd., Cell Media Ltd., Trio TV Ltd. Sound recording crew: Recorder live by: AudioGebius Productions Recording Engineers: Tamas Gresiczki, Daniel Hidvegi Recording assistant: Andras “Gnoo” Czigler Bartok+Miskolc International Opera festival: Managing director: Tamas Bator Project manager: Szabolcs Horvath Communication director: Boglarka Irlanda Head of festival office: Noemi Marczisak www.operafesztival.hu