ConcertPulse
SLAM SYMPHONY
Konzerthalle Bamberg, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal (Bamberg)
The »Slam Symphony« is now in its ninth round in Bamberg and, as always, three award-winning poetry slammers will compete against each other to win the audience prize before the young Latvian conductor Aivis Greters performs the symphonic work. This time we will focus on Berlioz, a man about whom it was said that »despite all the eccentricity his compositions exude, he is a peculiar man, if only because he is driven by a burning, enthusiastic love for the arts, because he has blazed his own trail, and – because he is a character«. Bearing this year‘s motto in mind, his legendary »Symphonie fantastique« is a must: in 1830, the romantic fiery-head had a »fixed idea« that left its mark when it comes to setting states of the soul in music. At that time, the very young composer was in love with an actress unattainable to him. And so he composed these »Episodes from the Life of an Artist«, which of course was himself: the tale of a consuming passion, of hell, opium and madness. The almost obsessively adored one is both a wishful and distorted image in one and, in the »Idée fixe«, almost like a nightmare, always present – because this leitmotif constantly throws his soul into turmoil. It will be exciting to hear which lyrics and words will come to the slammers‘ minds!