Ludovic Morlot Titan at La Monnaie

Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony was initially conceived as a symphonic poem and was called ‘Titan’, in reference to the novel by the German author Jean Paul. Although Mahler later removed any programmatic references, the work makes up a musical reflection on the human condition, with all its chaos, jollity, irony and grandeur. Brahms had transformed three stanzas of Goethe’s Harzreise im Winter into a compact, quasi-theatrical three-part work called Alt Rhapsodie, which describes the fate of a young wanderer. As the title suggests, Martin?’s Fresques are inspired by Piero della Francesca’s Arezzo frescos on the Legend of the Holy Cross. The composer draws from them an exquisite work that gives voice to the beguiling poetry of the pictures. Chief conductor Ludovic Morlot invites us to join him on an enthralling journey through deep and complex life experiences.