Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Wen Xiao Zheng

What a pleasure this will be for everyone involved! In keepsake of the fifth season, under the baton of Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, we slip into different roles, either individually or in ensembles, as if at a carnival or masquerade ball, to perform the musical tales of this concert – and demonstrate our virtuosity on our instruments. For Berlioz’s soul-searching piece, set in Italy, our solo violist Wen Xiao Zheng will assume the role of the melancholic dreamer Harold. Together, we recount the stages of this musical journey, composed in 1834 based on a work by the Romantic poet Lord Byron. Our wind players also regularly enjoy standing out from the mass of the orchestra – and they are always eager to perform the odd musical prank or two. The Rheinische Kirmestänze, composed by Bernd Alois Zimmermann and premiered in 1963, offer a wonderful opportunity to do so: they are a deliciously quirky and folklorically inspired collection of pieces with funny names such as »Prummeschnoever« and »Hoppedäntz«. And since the joy of playing is even more contagious in a full orchestra, we will conclude with a famous piece from 1850 that also has a connection to the Rhineland: Before the eyes of the audience, we use our instruments to conjure up the imposing Cologne Cathedral and capture the spirited mentality of the city – after all, Schumann told us that the mood of his Third Symphony, which is rich in folk music, »reflects a piece of life«.

Tickets from 25.08.2025 10 a.m.