Ludwig van Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony has been celebrated as an »orgy of rhythm«, while Wagner went so far as to describe it as the »apotheosis of the dance«. It is hardly surprising, then, that the renowned German choreographer Sasha Waltz has found an ideal partner for her physical language in this work, which unites movement, structure and energy. The acclaimed period-instrument orchestra Il Pomo d’Oro performs the symphony on historical instruments – gut strings, natural horns and period strings – bringing the music to life in all its clarity and power. The ensemble is directed by Titus Engel, a specialist in historically informed performance practice. Unfiltered and immediate: Beethoven in its purest form. Alongside the music, Waltz’s company makes these sounds visible – step by step.
What fascinates Sasha Waltz is not only the rhythmic force of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 but also its historical context. In 1812, the composer noted in his diary the question: »Is the true human being a slave to circumstance or free?« He witnessed the political ideal of freedom falter between the French Revolution and the age of Restoration. Waltz draws on these tensions – between personal liberty, social constraints and political upheaval – and reimagines them through a contemporary lens in her choreography.
PERFORMERS
Sasha Waltz & Guests Kompanie
Il Pomo d’Oro chamber ensemble
Titus Engel conductor
PROGRAM
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
