Musical Fortnight: Basque National Orchestra + Orfeón Donostiarra

The Kursaal will host Beethoven's choral masterpiece, the Missa Solemnis, considered by some as the greatest mass ever composed, and technically, the most challenging work from this composer. This monumental work, not performed at the Quincena since 2003, will be conducted by the French maestro Jérémie Rhorer, a disciple of Marc Minkowski, William Christie, and Christopher Hogwood. The performance will feature the Basque National Orchestra, the Orfeón Donostiarra, and soloists Chen Reiss, Victoria Karkacheva, Maximilian Schmitt, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann. Composed alongside the 9th Symphony, though the “Kyrie” and “Sanctus” were premiered with the symphony, the Missa Solemnis wasn't performed in its entirety until 1830, after Beethoven's death. Prior to conducting it at the Quincena, Rhorer will conduct his ensemble Le Cercle de l'Harmonie in interpreting the Missa Solemnis at the Philharmonie de Paris. Currently, he is also directing the premiere of The Human Voice, a new production by the Royal Theater combining Poulenc's work of the same name and Schönberg's Erwartung.

More information here

Performers

Basque National Orchestra
Orfeón Donostiarra (José Antonio Sáinz Alfaro, director de coro)
Jérémie Rhorer director
Chen Reiss soprano
Victoria Karkacheva mezzosoprano
Maximilian Schmitt tenor
Hanno Mueller Brachmann bajo