Before his emergence as one of the greatest musical figures of the 19th century, Richard Wagner wrote a series of overtures that chart his early compositional development. The two high-octane Concert Overtures reflect his Beethovenian and Classical lineage, whereas the overture to the historical tragedy Konig Enzio reveals a greater sense of melancholy and nobility. Heroism is the key to his first opera, Die Feen, while his second, Das Liebesverbot, is saturated in beguiling Mediterranean color. Siegfried Idyll, a surprise birthday gift for his second wife, Cosima, is a tender and intimate celebration of scenes of family life. The MDR Leipzip Radio Symphony Orchestra is Germany’s oldest radio orchestra. In addition to its regular presence on the radio, television, and internet, it delights a wide public with its concerts in the area served by MDR and beyond. On a worldwide scale, the orchestra can be heard via the European Broadcasting Union, on tour, and at guest performances.