Trio Khaldei, Maximilian Lohse, Tony Nys & Dietrich Henschel

Not every ode sings someone’s praises: Beethoven began his Third Symphony as a tribute to Napoleon, but quickly rechristened it as written ‘to celebrate the memory’ of a man who once showed great promise.

Beethoven’s contemporary Lord Byron also displayed more acrimony than admiration in his poem which certainly explains Schoenberg’s fascination for this extensive poem. As an Austrian Jew, he had had to flee Europe, persecuted by merciless and power-mad forces, and set Byron’s ode to music just ten years later. Sadly, there isn’t a theme more relevant than this right now.

Trio Khaldei have been regular guests at Festival 20·21 for years. Again and again, the ensemble manages to fascinate the audience and carry them away, often presenting original programmes with long arcs of tension. 

Tonight they’re in the eminent company of German baritone Dieter Henschel, one of today’s most sought-after opera and lieder singers, as well as a world authority in performing music from the first half of the 20th century.

Concert of the City of Leuven