Freiburger Barockorchester ǀ Collegium Vocale Gent ǀ P. Heras-Casado ǀ J. Fuchs

The main thread of the season, the voice shines forth, carried by the soprano Julie Fuchs, a superb stage performer with a lush timbre and virtuoso coloratura, and by the pioneering Collegium Vocale Gent, an internationally renowned benchmark for Baroque authenticity. They will be accompanied by the Freiburger Barockorchester, one of the leading historically informed ensembles, displaying all its virtuosity under the baton of Pablo Heras-Casado, one of the most respected conductors of his generation. The centrepiece of the concert is Gioachino Rossini’s La morte di Didone, which reveals a different side to the composer, all too often known only for his opera. Written in 1811, this dramatic fresco follows Dido, abandoned by Aeneas and gnawed by betrayal, defying gods and tyrants and finally choosing death in the flames of Carthage. Alongside her, Franz Schubert displays a striking symphonic breadth: the Overture in the Italian Style, written when he was just twenty years old, sparkles with theatrical flair, while his Symphony No. 9, known as ‘The Great’, is imbued with an unquenchable rhythmic vitality, from the initial notes of the horn to the final apotheosis. Ranging from the intimate to the monumental, this promises to be an evening of fire and breath.