Between self-presentation and sonic frenzy: Richard Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben" unfolds as a musical monument - flanked by Dora Pejačević's finely shaded songs, which add emotional depth and lyrical intimacy.
With his "Heldenleben", the 34-year-old Richard Strauss created a monument to himself in sound. In symphonic exuberance, he paints the portrait of an artist who fights, triumphs, loves - and rises above himself. Between pathos and irony, we encounter the hero as well as his adversaries, the critics' voices and his spirited wife Pauline, who takes shape in a delicate violin motif. Strauss' mastery of orchestration transforms personal experiences into a powerful panorama of sound that culminates in "Weltflucht und Vollendung".
Dora Pejačević, one of the most important female composers of her time, offers a poetic counterweight to this. Her songs, rich in tonal color and inner tension, interweave sensitive melody with subtle emotional observation. Where Strauss seeks grand gestures, Pejačević finds quiet, resonant tones - an encounter between two musical worlds that complement each other wonderfully in their emotionality and expressiveness.
March 1 and 2, 2026
