Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Ingo Metzmacher

Stravinsky's “Dumbarton Oaks”, commissioned by an American patron couple, which was premiered in 1938 at their homonymous country estate, is followed by Ingo Metzmacher's debut with the Konzerthausorchester John Adam's piano concerto “Century Rolls” (1997) with the young pianist Conrad Tao.

After this American first half, the stage in the Great Hall is full, because Richard Strauss is on the program: “So spoke Zarathustra” was “by far the most important, most perfect, most interesting and peculiar of my pieces,” said the composer. After the dress rehearsal in 1896, he was apparently very satisfied with himself. Zarathustra, the hermitic living prophet in Friedrich Nietzsche's much-discussed text, which inspired the piece of music, was not in high spirits at all. He visited people to tell them about higher connections — and of course they did not want to listen to him. Richard Strauss's symphonic poem is now so great that you can't help but listen to her and therefore also, indirectly, Nietzsche's misunderstood, often misunderstood prophet!

Program: Igor Stravinsky: “Dumbarton Oaks” — Concerto for chamber orchestra in E-flat; John Adams: “Century Rolls” for piano and orchestra; Richard Strauss: “Also spoke Zarathustra” — symphonic poem (after Friedrich Nietzsche) op. 30