"Who of us doesn't know it: longing - this painful desire for something that is unattainable or not yet there; for a state, a thing, a loved one? Longing is a very German word for which there are no precise equivalents in other languages, but there are numerous pieces of music and styles that capture this feeling in sound. In their program, which they conceived together for the Schwetzinger SWR Festival 2025, the ensemble SPARK and the countertenor Valer Sabadus devote themselves entirely to this multifaceted emotion. You can hear seductive, yearning instrumental and vocal music, created between the early 18th and the early 21st century. Handel lets the birds sing, Schubert longs and suffers, Vivaldi contributes numerous secondary frictions, Bach enjoys grazing sheep and lets Zion sing joyfully, fireflies glow, Michael Nyman even makes a melodica sound seductive, people dance tango, and at the end we can ask ourselves with Barry Manilow: Could it be magic ?

Valer Sabadus & SPARK

Rococo Theater

Italien, das Sehnsuchtsland der Deutschen seit Jahrhunderten: Händel sammelte dort Lorbeeren, Mendelssohn fand Inspirationen. Seine 4. Sinfonie schäumt über vor dem Temperament des Südens. Für den Alte-Musik-Dirigenten Andrea Marcon bedeuten Abstecher in die Romantik dabei rare musikalische Momente. Ganz in seinem Kernrepertoire bewegt sich Valer Sabadus: Die Alt-Arien aus Händel-Opern wie »Rinaldo« oder »Alcina« sind wie gemacht für die so überirdisch reine, hohe Stimme des rumänisch-deutschen Countertenors. Händels Hochton-Feuerwerke liefert er in mitreißender Rasanz und atemberaubender Sicherheit, zugleich versteht er nicht minder die Trumpfkarte des berührend-zarten, des sinnlichen Tons auszuspielen. Valer Sabadus ist ein Sänger, der sein Publikum in Bann schlägt, der es mitnimmt in ein Sehnsuchtsland und in eine Welt der Barockoper, die in Tönen so verschwenderisch umgehen konnte wie keine mehr danach.

EPSG:4326

Il gusto italiano

Bertramstraße 8

Founded 40 years ago, Concerto Köln is one of the outstanding protagonists of early music. It's fortunate that the journey to Duisburg is not far – and that the Duisburg Philharmonic also includes seasoned experts in musically informed performance practice. This creates ideal conditions for an extraordinary encounter in a concert that brings together well-known and lesser-known masterpieces by composers of the 17th and 18th centuries. Examples such as those of the Italian Antonio Vivaldi, the German George Frideric Handel, the Frenchman Jean-Philippe Rameau, the Bohemian Jan Dismas Zelenka, and the Englishman Henry Purcell demonstrate that all of Europe was shaken by the tremendous musical developments of this period. Some of these masters will perform "vocal specialties" – arias from operas or sacred works – or, like the piano pioneer Domenico Scarlatti, excerpts from their instrumental works. The name of countertenor Valer Sabadus, who is another guest from Cologne in Duisburg, shines as brilliantly as his voice.

From all over Europe

CityPalais

George Frideric Handel was one of the most successful and well-known composers of the Baroque period. Born in Germany, he moved to England in his late twenties, where he established himself as a British citizen. Although Handel is best known in the English-speaking world for his oratorios and orchestral works, he was primarily an opera composer and dominated the London opera scene for over two decades.

Valer Sabadus

Events

Upcoming events

Dec 20, 2025

From all over Europe · Duisburger Philharmoniker

Mar 21, 2026

A stage full of hands · Bochumer Symphoniker

Past events

May 30, 2025

Valer Sabadus & SPARK · SWR Symphonieorchester

14 - 15 Nov, 2024

Il gusto italiano · hr-Sinfonieorchester

Future and recently performed repertoire

Singer in Rinaldo by Handel

Bochumer Symphoniker

Singer in Serse by Handel

Bochumer Symphoniker

Singer in Giulio Cesare in Egitto by Handel

Bochumer Symphoniker

About

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