Herbert Blomstedt

At the age of 98, he is now a living legend, and we enjoy every moment we spend with our honorary conductor Herbert Blomstedt. Our regular collaborations with him have been characterised as »lively music-making« and »full of enthusiastic fervour«. This time, he will guide us through two symphonic tone landscapes as a seasoned musical director. First, we will take a look at the »slender Greek maiden between two giants of the north«: this is how Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony was once characterised, as it was written in 1806 between the bold »Eroica« and the triumphant Fifth. Here we can revel in »lively, flirtatious jumps« – and also in the enchanting melodies of the composer, who was in love at the time and whose heart was apparently »almost bursting with happiness« as he wrote. We continue this elation with the next piece on the programme: Sibelius’ triumphant Fifth Symphony from 1915 is a sometimes intricate work due to its abundance of motifs, but it also offers marvellous havens of tranquillity – and a rapturous climax that gives you goose bumps. The composer’s most famous melody is already foreshadowed in the course of the work, but when the theme rises majestically in the final section, tears of joy can well flow. This stirring earworm was inspired by a momentous experience: Sibelius saw 16 swans flying over the lake at his country estate – one of the most moving moments of his life: »What beauty. The mystery of nature, the melancholy of life!«

Tickets from 25.08.2025 10 a.m.