«In the sound we produce, in the work we do, we are a team.» One thing is certain: the team spirit which Gustavo Gimeno evokes so emphatically can be felt more than ever in 2023, when the Luxembourg Philharmonic celebrates its 90-year anniversary. It is certainly evident in the extraordinary programme the musicians and their maestro are preparing for this season.
From Joseph Haydn to Franz Schubert and Dmitri Shostakovich – the orchestra leaves hardly a stone unturned in the field of classical music. This season, however, the orchestra’s top priority is inviting its listeners to follow it on a route reaching beyond the well-trodden paths…
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is remembered as a passionate opera lover, but what about his pious Vêpres solennelles d’un confesseur? Isn’t it time to introduce the genius of György Ligeti to a broader audience? And what if actor John Malkovich took up the challenge of combining humour and classical music? Whether in the corridors of the Philharmonie, recording for the label harmonia mundi, or on tour in the best concert halls of Germany, Spain and Scandinavia – the orchestra proves its international rank, presenting a broad-ranging yet audacious repertoire.
True citizens of the world, its members are also deeply rooted in Luxembourgish culture. They participate in the festival rainy days, commission a new work from the composer Georges Lentz, pay homage to the famous poet and prime minister Edmond de la Fontaine, aka «Dicks»… not to mention their reunion with their conductor laureate Leopold Hager, a living legend – if ever there was one in Luxembourg. More than ever, the orchestra’s roots generate the verve to shape its future. The 2023/24 season is the result of a 90-year development that has led to this sworn, history-steeped and diverse community of musicians we know today. Up to 99 music stands are set up at a concert and the musicians sitting at these stands produce a multitude of sounds, sensibilities, personalities and friendships. They accomplish the miraculous merging of these pluralities in one singular sound, uniting with their audience for one great anniversary season.
Eva Klein
Concert dates
Philharmonie Luxembourg
09.03.2024
Side by Side
On tour
13.10.2023
Antwerpen, Koningin Elisabethzaal
28. & 30.11.2023
Luxembourg, Grand Théâtre
12., 14. & 16.12.2023
Caen, Théâtre
21.01.2024
Köln, Philharmonie
25.02.2024
München, Isarphilharmonie
20.04.2024
Châlons-en-Champagne, La Comète
01. & 02.08.2024
Donostia / San Sebastián, Kursaal
03. & 04.08.2024
Santander, Palacio de Festivales