Ensemble Modern

You don't have to be young to appreciate new music. The evening with the Ensemble Modern is striking proof of this, with a focus on the work of two anniversary celebrants with significant birthdays in 2026: György Kurtág and Betsy Jolas. The Hungarian composer's focus on the subtle nuances of the texts has resulted in one of the most significant song cycles of recent times, as he condensed four poems by the Russian Anna Akhmatova into a single piece. Meanwhile, the Paris-born composer embarks on an inner, highly emotional journey of discovery in her 'Wanderlied' (Wandering Song). Another 'late work' is Thomas Kessler's 'Lost Song', composed in 2022. Kessler is the long-standing director of the Electronic Studio Basel and a colleague of the Swiss composer Heinz Holliger. Holliger is one of the most important figures in New Music and has been a loyal supporter of the Ensemble Modern since its foundation. One of his best-known early works, the Nelly Sachs setting Glühende Rätsel (Glowing Riddles), will also be performed.