Jörg Widmann

Jörg Widmann celebrates triple premiere at Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

8/6/2022

On 10 June, a very special premiere takes place in the auditorium of Maison de la Radio et de la Musique in Paris. With the world premiere of the latest orchestral work from his pen entitled Danse macabre, Jörg Widmann debuts with Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France as conductor.

“It is a last dance, a dance that death dances with us, in ever new voltes, pirouettes, masquerades — but it always remains death. He threatens and laughs, and dances with us to where no one has been before and yet we all have to go. His pull and power must be stronger than we know from any earthly dance — no easy task for a composer, but a fascinating one. Wild and beautiful, ghastly and final it should be, this last dance. My Danse macabre has therefore become one of my most important intense and propulsive orchestral pieces to date.” 

(Jörg Widmann)

Co-Commissioners of this major new work are the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, NDR Radiophilharmonie and Orquesta Nacional de España.

As the soloist of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Concerto for Clarinet, Widmann also debuts as clarinettist at Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.

The evening programme is completed by Widmann’s Fantasie für Klarinette solo and by Mozart’s Symphony No.41 also known as Jupiter.