In his libretto based on Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Salvatore Sciarrino offers a fresh perspective on monstrous events. Vimbayi Kaziboni, Conductor in Residence, leads Klangforum Wien and Cantando Admont at this concert performance at the Kollegienkirche, Salzburg.

Salzburger Festspiele – Ouverture Spirituelle · Fatum – Macbeth

Kollegienkirche

“And I turned around.” As the consequence of a single fatal movement, Orpheus loses everything and is thrown back on what had seemingly already been overcome: The sense of forlornness between Him and Her, their mutual unavailability, and the desperate desire which will never be fulfilled. With Begehren, Beat Furrer has created one of the most significant works of contemporary music theatre, which Klangforum Wien presents in a concert version at the core of the ensemble’s “FURRER 70” project. The performance is part of festival Wien Modern 2024.

EPSG:4326

Singen, Sehnen

Wiener Konzerthaus

Beat Furrer's Begehren is considered one of the most significant works of contemporary music theater of our time. The conductor and composer reworks the Orpheus myth, condensing the ancient sources of Ovid and Virgil with texts by Cesare Pavese, Günter Eich and Hermann Broch, into ten haunting soundscapes. Starting from the tragic moment, when Orpheus looks back at his beloved Eurydice, Furrer uses a new musico-dramatic narrative style to explore the relationship drama of two archetypal figures: "Him" and "Her", their mutual unavailability, and the desperate desire which will never be fulfilled.

Dortmund Zeitinsel 2024 - Beat Furrer: Begehren

Dortmund Concert Hall

With Beat Furrer's extensive vocal cycle Akusmata, Klangforum Wien and the vocal ensemble Cantando Admont are premiering a composition specially created for the Konzerthaus Dortmund. Furrer, who is regarded as one of the most important composers of our time, works with literary texts by Pythagoras for this demanding cycle and creates completely new, complex soundscapes as a result.

Dortmund Zeitinsel 2024 - Sound Cosmos Beat Furrer

With Begehren, Beat Furrer has created one of the most significant works of contemporary music theatre. The founder and long-time companion of Klangforum Wien, who is celebrating his 70th birthday this year, reworks the Orpheus myth, condensing the ancient sources of Ovid and Virgil with texts by Cesare Pavese, Günter Eich and Hermann Broch into ten haunting soundscapes. Starting from the single fatal movement, when Orpheus looks back at his beloved Eurydice, Furrer explores the relationship drama of two archetypal figures by means of a new musico-dramatic narrative style: "Him" and "Her", their mutual unavailability, and the desperate desire which will never be fulfilled. Premiered twenty years ago at the opening celebrations of Graz as European Capital of Culture, Begehren has since been performed widely. Klangforum Wien is presenting the work at the core of its "Furrer 70" project and is now performing it for the first time in Switzerland under the direction of Beat Furrer himself.

Cantando Admont

Jul 25, 2025

Salzburger Festspiele – Ouverture Spirituelle · Fatum – Macbeth

Nov 19, 2024

Singen, Sehnen

Cantando Admont