Sinfoniekonzert: Eroica

Beethoven and Schoenberg: Antonello Manacorda Conducts Highly Controversial Works on Humanity and Freedom

“Personally, it’s important to me to show that Beethoven was not only a composer, but essentially also a philosopher. He tells us not only about music, but also about ourselves: who we are, where we come from, and where we’re going; why we’re here in this world and what we hope to achieve here,” says Honorary Conductor Antonello Manacorda. Together with the KAP , he presented a highly acclaimed and groundbreaking cycle of all of Beethoven’s symphonies in May 2024.

At the heart of this year’s collaboration is the Third Symphony, the famous “Eroica,” which, like few other works, manages to musically combine radical compositional ideas with purified idealism. Arnold Schoenberg’s “Ode” is also a musical symbol of the spirit of freedom, an unmistakable commitment to humanity, and his only overtly political work.