Mahler's 8th Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall
About the Event
Experience classical music like never before in this astonishing performance of masterworks by Mahler at London's remarkable Royal Albert Hall.
A rare treat for Mahler aficionados and all who enjoy his symphonies on a grand scale.
Can you imagine a symphony that is a song from beginning to end? This is the ambitious vision that struck Mahler 'like lightning' and threw him into a compositional frenzy. Within three months, he created his most epic work yet, taking religious themes from previous symphonies and elevating them to a whole new level.
The first half is a celebration of the divine spirit. The second movement, inspired by Goethe's Faust, begins with 'rushing forests' and ends with dazzling visions of angels and eternal life.
From the thunderous chord of the organ and double choir at the beginning to the gathered brass at the end, the symphony proclaims its message of redemption with the greatest forces imaginable on stage. Originally touted as a 'Symphony of Thousands' because of its many performers, Mahler is both exuberant and restrained. His more subdued and loose compositions are just as strong as the big stage works.
The composer, who composed neither cantata nor opera, had an illuminating vision of how the worlds of instrument and voice could come together: a 'true symphony,' as Mahler put it.
Cast / Production
Sarah Wegener Soprano
Jacquelyn Wagner Soprano
Regula Mühlemann Soprano
Jennifer Johnston Mezzo‐soprano
Claudia Huckle Contralto
Vincent Wolfsteiner Tenor
Michael Nagy Baritone
Shenyang Bass‐baritone
