In the 4th Philharmonic Concert at the Staatstheater Cottbus, heroic gestures meet deep abysses and surprising wit. Ethel Smyth, Franz Liszt and Dmitri Shostakovich show how multifaceted musical expression can be - powerful, touching and full of brilliance. An evening that moves and surprises.
Heroism, abysses and virtuoso brilliance - this concert shows that not every hero comes across as radiant. Ethel Smyth's overture to "The Wreckers" transports us to the harsh, dark world of the English south coast, full of storms and conflict. Liszt's first piano concerto, on the other hand, is a firework display of virtuosity - a musical balancing act between power and poetry.
But then the mood changes: Shostakovich's 6th Symphony begins with profound melancholy, only to end in grotesque, almost biting dances. Like Liszt before him, he dances completely out of line formally. An evening full of contrasts between tragedy and triumph, brilliance and irony. Because true heroes are not only brave - they also have a sense of humor.
January 9 and 11, 2026
