Ophelia / NOW 2
Programme
Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Titus Engel, conductor
Nicole Chevalier, soprano
The central composition of the concert is the song cycle Let me tell you by Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen. The composition is based on the eponymous short story by Paul Griffiths, which is a literary portrait of Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Griffiths first subjected Ophelia’s text to the principles of potential literature, and Abrahamsen then modified the resulting text beyond recognition by isolating individual words and phrases. Nevertheless, Ophelia’s determination and passion suggest that it was enough to satisfy a woman who never had the opportunity to tell her side of the story.
The composition was first performed by soprano Barbara Hanningan with the Berlin Philharmonic in 2013. Since then, it has been performed many times by the best orchestras around the world, always being greeted by sustained applause.
Accompanying events:
Slovenian Philharmonic, Saturday, 15 October 2022, at 11.00 am
SIM 2 – Saturday Insights into Music with a presentation and explanation of compositions by Hans Abrahamsen and Neville Hall
Cankarjev dom, Lili Novy Glass Hall, 19 October 2022, post-concert gathering with composers and the performers, accompanied by a selection of superb Slovenian wines.
Ministry of Health warning: Drinking alcohol can be harmful to health!