Concert information
Musikfest Berlin
Info
The premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s ballet Le Sacre du printemps was 20th century theatre’s greatest scandal. The work’s archaic, brutal narrative, ecstatic rhythms and piercing sounds shocked the audience – and guaranteed the composer’s fame. Alongside Sacre, this concert features a new work by Ondřej Adámek, honouring Pierre Boulez on the occasion of his 100th birthday in 2025. Boulez himself is represented with Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna, a piece that creates a spectacular sonic effect with its eight instrumental groups distributed throughout the hall. François-Xavier Roth conducts.
Artists
Berliner Philharmoniker
François-Xavier Roth conductor
Programme
Pierre Boulez
Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna for orchestra in eight groups
Interval
Ondřej Adámek
Between Five Columns (Premiere), commissioned by the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation
Igor Stravinsky
Le Sacre du printemps, Ballet
Additional information
Duration ca. 2 hours (incl. 20 minutes interval)
Main Auditorium
27 to 86 €
Introduction
19:15
Series M: Concerts with the Berliner Philharmoniker
Main Auditorium
27 to 86 €
Introduction
18:15
Series N: Concerts with the Berliner Philharmoniker
Breaking down barriers
On the centenary of Pierre Boulez’s birth
This year marks the centenary of the birth of Pierre Boulez, a polymath, who left his mark on twentieth century music as a composer, conductor, theoretician and cultural politician. With the clarity of his vision, his analytical mind and his tireless urge for renewal, he embodied the musical avant-garde in unique ways. Anyone who refused to conform to his idea of progress had to contend with implacable criticism.
Controversial!
Season focus 2025/26
Do we live in the most controversial of all worlds? With our seasonal focus Controversial!, we reflect on the current culture of debate from a musical perspective. Because here, too, there have been centuries of debate over the best course. For example, Felix Mendelssohn said that you should wash your hands after reading a score by Hector Berlioz. Brahms thought that Bruckner’s works were “a hoax”. And what about Mozart and Salieri? Concerts with the Berliner Philharmoniker and their ensembles provide exciting juxtapositions of musical concepts and styles.
Biography
François-Xavier Roth
François-Xavier Roth has been hailed as a musical visionary – a versatile conductor has, paradoxically, specialized in the universal. His repertoire spans from early Baroque to the present day and embraces both the symphonic core repertoire and new discoveries. Roth first studied flute at the Paris Conservatoire and played with the Orchestre de Paris before turning to conducting. From 2015 to 2024 he served as Chief Conductor of the Gürzenich Orchestra and General Music Director of the City of Cologne, where his innovative programming won wide acclaim.
He founded the period-instrument ensemble Les Siècles, which he led to international success in just a few years. The ensemble's musicians adapt their instruments to the repertoire at hand. During concerts, they switch instruments, depending on the work being performed. Roth, who made his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2015 with works by French composers, has been Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra since 2017. From 2011 to 2016 he was Chief Conductor of the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, and in September 2025 he became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of its successor, the SWR Symphonieorchester.
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