Repertoire

Sofia Gubaidúlina: Wrath of God. National premiere
Richard Wagner: First act of Die Walküre

Artists

Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Kathleen O’Mara, soprano
Joachim Bäckström, tenor
Stephen Milling, bass

Programme

L’Auditori has the honour of witnessing a new national premiere by a figure who is key to understanding composition from the mid-20th century to the present day: Sofia Gubaidulina’s Wrath of God explores a dramaturgy that examines tension and catharsis. The intensity of her composition creates moments of suspense and bated breaths, with unnervingly magnetic textures that make the title a warning of the stirringly turbulent soundscapes to come.

The first act of Richard Wagner’s Die Walküre, part of Der Ring des Nibelungen, introduces the themes of the Wotan family, power and destiny. A single arc narrates the encounter between Siegmund and Sieglinde, the discovery of their common origin and the appearance of the Nothung sword as a sign of destiny. With a continuous musical architecture and a growing intensity, the act functions almost like a symphonic poem with voices (Kathleen O’Mara, Joachim Backström and Stephen Milling, in this case) full of leitmotifs and lyrical expansion. Staging it in concert, under the baton of Ludovic Morlot, will allow for a particularly clear appreciation of the orchestra’s strengths and the emotional tension of one of the most powerful episodes of the entire Ring cycle.