Gewandhausorchester, Franz Welser‐Möst: Verdi's Requiem at Gewandhaus
About the Event
In Leipzig's beloved Gewandhaus, hear the Gewandhaus Orchestra, the MDR‐Rundfunkchor and outstanding soloists under the baton of Franz Welser‐Möst for a captivating performance of Verdi's masterwork.
This world and the next, death and life, hell and paradise, transience and eternity belong together. The limited human mind fails at the superlarge and tries to grasp it by dividing, drawing borders, inventing definitions. But the true is greater.
From Mozart to Berlioz and Brahms to Britten: It is no coincidence that works called Requiems became culmination points in the creative work of many composers. Verdi took the death of the writer and national hero Alessandro Manzoni as an occasion for an artistic examination of last things. On the first anniversary of Manzoni's death on May 22, 1874, the Messa da Requiem was performed for the first time in Milan's San Marco Church. Just three days later, Verdi conducted a performance at La Scala, and the work soon conquered all major opera houses and concert halls worldwide.
Practical Information
Due to its history, the Gewandhaus Orchestra stands for civic engagement in a special way. With a view to the challenges of the present and the community‐building, inspiring and transformative potential of music, it has launched a democracy initiative in 2022. On pressing issues of justice, resources, media, institutions, education, identity, resilience and faith, public and cultural figures engage in dialogue with each other, with the audience and with musical performances.
'Resonance' is the motto above the musically inspired, culturally initiated discussion of basic values, understanding of democracy and social togetherness. We invite you to join in the discussion at round tables and to experimentally explore and musically experience political, sociological, acoustic and interpersonal facets of resonance in workshops and performances. Inspired by musical artworks, we open spaces for voices of the present and for ideas that strengthen the common good — in exchange between all those who want to help shape society.
