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Rued Langgaard Festival
31. aug. - 3. sep.
Ribe
Welcome to Nordic Dream – Rued Langgaard Festival 31 August – 3 September 2023
Nordic poets and a twilight walking concert in Ribe, an Artist in residence, two symphony orchestras and plenty of art, talks and concerts with music by Jean Sibelius, Nancy Dalberg and Rued Langgaard come together under the theme Nordic Dream at Rued Langgaard Festival 2023 in Ribe.
Nordic nature and the special moods tied to life in the Nordic countries are in focus at this year's Rued Langgaard Festival. The dense darkness of the winter half-year and the explosions of light in summer are a basic condition, and it has influenced Jean Sibelius, Nancy Dalberg and Rued Langgaard, who each composed unique music rooted in a rich Romantic emotional world, in which the universe of the Nordic mind plays out in contrasts of dark and light, solitude and love, the raw and the sweet in the changing of the seasons.
Solitude and Nordic poets
Solitude was a basic condition for Sibelius, Dalberg and Langgaard. But through their music and in interplay with mythological tales and poetry they came into contact with a world greater than themselves. We experience this at Rued Langgaard Festival 2023 in orchestral and chamber music, songs and storytelling that focus on mythological tales. Here the Finnish national epic Kalevala plays a leading role, as it is closely tied to nature, which was an inspiration for Sibelius throughout his life. With the poets Edith Södergran, Viktor Rydberg, Selma Lagerlöf, Jenny Blicher-Clausen, Thor Lange and Holger Drachmann, who can be experienced in music by the festival's three composers, we present a number of the finest poets of the Nordic countries. Just as the author Knud Romer will shed light on solitude through the experiences of the poets, the composers and himself in a lecture.
Artist in residence
New this year, we have as Artist-in-residence the young Finnish soprano Johanna Nylund, a rarely luminous talent who recently made her debut from the soloist class at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Johanna Nylund takes part in three of the festival's concerts and looks especially forward to singing, for the first time, Langgaard's beautiful summery Tonebilleder and Sibelius's Luonnatar, which depicts the creation of the world according to the Kalevala, in which the goddess of the air, Luonnatar, descends to earth and lets sky and sea merge.
Two symphony orchestras at this year's festival
For the first time in the history of Rued Langgaard Festival, two symphonic concerts are presented. The Finn Eva Ollikainen leads Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester, which, besides playful, light music by Nancy Dalberg, plays Sibelius's last orchestral work Tapiola and Langgaard's Symphony No. 4 Løvfald, in which nature mirrors beauty, melancholy and mystery.
On the opening evening we look forward to presenting some of France's greatest musical talents in Det Franske Ungdomssymfoniorkester under the direction of their chief conductor Michael Schønwandt in, among other things, Sibelius's grand Symphony No. 2 and Langgaard's Symphony No. 12 Hélsingeborg, which is now being played at Rued Langgaard Festival for the first time.
An evening walk in Rued Langgaard's footsteps
With Rued Langgaards nat – stemningsbilleder i og omkring Ribe Kunstmuseum we introduce a new concert concept that involves Ribe Å, the Museumsparken and the Museum, in which “the picture of the year” – Harald Slott-Møller's Skumring – is presented. In this walking concert the audience gets close to some of the very special moods that the ancient town of Ribe holds, and which are a decisive resonance for the late Rued Langgaard's music and world of thought. Along the way the Finland-Swedish Edith Södergran shows herself as a kindred spirit – read aloud by the actor Sonja Richter. DJ Katrine Ring performs new music inspired by the sounds of the town, the picture of the year and Langgaard's music, and there are mini-concerts and talks focusing on the festival's theme Nordic Dream.
Organ concert
For the first time in several years there is an organ concert in the Domkirken with Kristian Krogsøe, who is cathedral organist in Aarhus. And with a screening of Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal there is also film again in Langgaard Salen. Talks about the festival's composers are also presented here.
Rued Langgaard classic
As always, Rued Langgaard Festival also includes a number of concerts in Sct. Catharinæ Kirke. This year with Esbjerg Ensemble, Nordic String Quartet and the winners of the Rued Langgaard Competition 2023.
In Det gamle Rådhus, where the opening of a Rued Langgaard exhibition room is planned, Berit Johansen Tange plays dancing Nordic tones by Sibelius and Langgaard on the historic Bechstein grand piano that Langgaard had with him all his life.
Langgaard for everyone
New this year, a family concert is planned with Esbjerg Ensemble and the music communicator Ole Kiilerich, in which everyone can take part. And at the same time the festival continues its educational initiatives in collaboration with Ribe Katedralskole and MGK Esbjerg.
Finally there are the festival's three late-night Langgaard Lounges with artist conversations, cosiness and Langgaard Porter from Ribe Bryghus, which the Lounge visits one evening.
Upcoming concerts
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Past concerts
- 31. Aug 2023Kalevala - SkabelsenProcessionsgangen, Kannikegården, Ribe
- 31. Aug 2023Dansende nordiskDet Gamle Rådhus Ribe, Ribe
- 31. Aug 2023ÅbningskoncertSct. Catharinæ Kirke, Ribe
- 31. Aug 2023Nordisk drømDet Gamle Rådhus Ribe, Ribe
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