Alain Altinoglu
Håkan Hardenberger Jörg Widmann
Igor Stravinsky

The German composer, conductor, and clarinetist Jörg Widmann (b. 1973) is one of the most versatile and original artists of our time. While working on the trumpet concerto Towards Paradise, he collaborated closely with tonight’s soloist, the pioneering Swedish trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger.

The concerto is the sixth part of Widmann’s Labyrinth cycle, and according to the composer, the soloist “embarks on a labyrinthine journey through a wide range of psychological and tonal realms.” The sound of the trumpet is explored from various positions and locations both inside and outside the concert hall.

Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) achieved his breakthrough as a composer in 1910 with the premiere of The Firebird in Paris. The ballet was part of the Ballets Russes season, and the following year, Stravinsky and the company continued their success with Petrushka.

These ballets were collaborative projects involving some of Russia’s leading artists from various disciplines, developing concepts rooted in the country’s folk traditions. With The Rite of Spring, they delved even deeper—into a distant past of primitive and brutal rituals.

The music, choreography, and costumes of The Rite of Spring were far more radical than those of Stravinsky’s previous ballets, and its premiere in the spring of 1913 became a legendary scandal. However, Stravinsky’s music was soon recognized as a milestone in musical history and remains one of the greatest masterpieces of the 20th century.

The drama unfolding on stage in The Rite of Spring is based on ancient pagan festivals, and Stravinsky drew inspiration from a collection of Lithuanian folk melodies. The work culminates in a harrowing final scene in which a young woman is sacrificed by dancing herself to death.