A commission from the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and the Cologne “Eight Bridges” Festival offers a glimpse into the world of the complete “other”: in Beat Furrer’s “VI Gesänge für Vokalensemble und Orchester” to texts by the Argentinian writer Sara Gallardo someone speaks who is at a crossroads, who knows about a secret life of things. Its songs are entreaties, they call to the different woods, the animals, the messengers “of the one who just is, who was never born and will never die”.

This is the title of one of many concerts for Dieter Ammann’s special birthday. On 26 May 2022 the Basel Sinfonietta under Baldur Brönnimann performs the Violin Concerto “unbalanced instability” with violinist Simon Zgraggen plus the orchestral triptych “Core – Turn – Boost”. Two concerts with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under Michael Sanderling feature “Boost” on 11 and 12 May, and on 31 May 2022 the programme includes “glut”, “Venite a dire. Raummusik”, and a world premiere of the “Morceau en forme d’improvisation”.

A glimpse into the not-too-distant future: In their new opera "Singularity," composer Miroslav Srnka and author Tom Holloway dramatize mind games about computerized people, updates, and human and technical malfunctions. Their opera is a fast-paced play with set pieces of the cyber world, combining vision with farce and a glimpse into human abysses.  Expressly composed for young voices, “Singularity” was written for the opera studio of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. Nicolas Brieger signed responsible for the production of the premiere on 5 June 2021 in the Cuvilliés Theatre, the Klangforum Wien played under the baton of Patrick Hahn. The opera was performed both live and per live-stream. The live-stream is still accessible. "Singularity" is the third opera by Miroslav Srnka and Tom Holloway commissioned by the Bavarian State Opera, following “Make No Noise” and “South Pole”.

On 24 March, a few months before his 90th birthday, Rudolf Kelterborn passed away in Basel. On 3 September 2021, the Swiss composer, music educator, teacher and mentor of contemporary music would have celebrated this special birthday.

For each of the ten Mahler symphonies, Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini has composed a short orchestral work which contemplates Mahler’s music and intellectual world. The end of April sees the premiere of the fourth piece, “Incantesimo”.

Theatre as a reflection of the world: Carlo Goldoni’s “L‘impresario delle Smirne” is a turbulent piece about the opera business. The Bregenz Festival is staging a contemporary version by Ľubica Čekovská and the librettist Laura Olivi in an updated version, adapted to the Corona situation. The opera “Impresario Dotcom” is about today. Six characters – five singers and an agent – seek a financial backer. The protagonists are called Olympia, Violetta, Carmen, Tamino and Orfeo, and come from all over the world. The inherent tragedy of the characters in their roles resonates in each case. “We all play roles in our lives”, says Ľubica Čekovská, “and it’s about the question of who we are, who the people behind these are.” The premiere of this special opera will be conducted by Christopher Ward, in a production by Elisabeth Stöppler on 20 August 2020 (and on 21 August) in the Festspielhaus Bregenz.

“Splendour” could stand as the heading for Matthias Pintscher’s last composition in his “Shirim” cycle, which now receives its premiere as a complete work. As the fourth part and conclusion of his Shirim cycle, Matthias Pintscher has set the third chapter of the Song of Solomon for baritone, chorus and orchestra. In this, there is mention of splendour, the entrance of King Solomon himself, of the costliness of the treasures and robes, the shimmering gold swords of his accompanying retinue