Aurora Music Festival – Death in Venice
A programme with music and text. Stefan Sauk reads from Thomas Mann's novel.
Thomas Mann’s 1912 novella Death in Venice has made an indelible mark on our culture. The book and Visconti’s cinematic masterpiece with Mahler’s music inspired this concert.
Death in Venice is a quiet confession and simultaneously a tragic moral tale about a man who turns his desire into poetry. The text is also uncannily modern in its description of a citizenry and an era that is obsessed with youth. At this concert, we will hear music by Maurice Ravel, Sofia Gubaidulina and Edvard Grieg. Alternating with the music, actor Stefan Sauk will read excerpts from the book.
A central figure at this concert, naturally, is Gustav Mahler: Mann was so strongly influenced by Mahler that he named the protagonist of the novella after him. The Adagietto from Mahler’s fifth symphony is also painfully beautiful and used in the famous movie.
Led by Gordan Nicolic, the Aurora Chamber Orchestra will also be performing Britten’s brilliant Frank Bridge variations for string orchestra.
Per Nyström, solo cellist of the Aurora Chamber Orchestra, is artistic director of this programme featuring Death in Venice.
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The music
Approximate times -
Benjamin Britten Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge for strings25 min
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Intermission25 min
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Death in Venice – Excerpts from the novella by Thomas Mann
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Jacques Offenbach Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffmann, instrumental version5 min
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Maurice Ravel From String Quartet in F major9 min
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Sofia Gubaidulina String Quartet No. 110 min
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Edvard Grieg Last Spring for strings5 min
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Gustav Mahler Adagietto from Symphony No. 59 min
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Participants
- Aurora Chamber Orchestra
- Gordan Nikolic leader
- Stefan Sauk reciter