Almost 70 years after its premiere in Athens, we are experiencing the German premiere of Mikis Theodorakis' Symphony No. 1. This expressive composition by the Greek composer, writer and politician may not have a predetermined program, but it is not difficult to imagine one for yourself in the dramatic, boiling sounds of this composition. Theodorakis, who was more at home and active in a wide variety of musical genres than almost any other composer, knew how to capture the most diverse human emotional states in sound. We can look forward to a highly emotional evening with the highest art of composition.
Richard Wagner set the beginning of Goethe's material to music in his FAUST OVERTURE in D minor. The introduction, which is characterized by the deep sounds of double basses and tubas, creates a compositional masterpiece with Wagner's typical leitmotif, which gives us a sense of our hero's inner turmoil. Another motif in the woodwinds introduces the Gretchen character. A wonderful work of program music that makes you want to lose yourself in reading Goethe's FAUST again.
We experience a special world premiere with ERATO PSALTRIAN by Ektoras Tartanis. His new work for orchestra, harp and baritone takes us into the world of Greek mythology, the tradition of Byzantine song and at the same time into contemporary worlds of sound. With Anneleen Lenaerts, principal harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the internationally acclaimed Greek baritone Aris Argiris, we can look forward to world-class soloists.
March 26, 2024
