Resurrection by Mahler
Symphony No. 2, ‘Resurrection Symphony’ by Gustav Mahler, performed by the Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Aleksandar Marković, will be staged at the Jovan Đorđević Hall of the Serbian National Theatre, on 19 June at 8 p.m. as part of the Fortress of Peace programme arch.
Dealing with the themes of death and transformation, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 is a portal to understanding and accepting the life cycle. The central thought of this work is summed up in the words of the choir at the climax of the finale: Sterben werd ’ich um zu leben (‘I must die to live on’), and it represents one of the most sublime and multi-layered messages, beyond all religious dogmas. All of us sometimes have to ‘die’ to live on, we have to reach the bottom to soar.
The whole civilization had to go through thousands of years of intense, devastating war conflicts culminating in World War II: only when we realised that the next nuclear war would mean total destruction, there was a transformation and the formation of an organised system to prevent a new, fatal global conflict. Mahler’s words, and above all his music, represent the greatest gift of an artist to humanity, they continue to inspire us, but also warn us.
Reflecting on the multi-layered messages provided by Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, we can conclude that this monumental work is in itself a ‘Fortress of Peace’, of love and faith in the grandeur of the human spirit.
We will listen to Symphony No. 2 In the European Capital of Culture, performed by the Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra in partnership with the Music Youth of Novi Sad and under the baton of world maestro Aleksandar Marković, who became chief conductor of the Innsbruck Opera at the age of 29, and he achieved that position in the famous Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra during preparations for the European Capital of Culture. The soloists at the concert will be Sonja Šarić (soprano) and Betina Ranh (mezzo-soprano).
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office of the Serbian National Theatre at prices of 400 and 600 RSD.
Photo: Srđan Doroški