The accused is a national heroine, the trial a farce. In Arthur Honegger’s oratorio Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, Joan of Arc looks back on her life, her visions, and her successes during a show trial in which she is sentenced to be burned at the stake. The work is a touching drama and at the same time a revealing parable of corruption and abuse of power. Honegger combines different musical styles here, from Baroque chorale to jazz-inflected music-hall sounds, to create a captivating sound painting. The conductor of the evening is Alan Gilbert.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Alan Gilbert conductor
Vocal Heroeschildrens' choir
MDR-Rundfunkchor
Arthur Honegger
Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, dramatic oratorio
