On 17 March 2024, at the Concourse, Chatswood, the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing Gustav Mahler’s colossal Symphony No 2, the ‘Resurrection’. Conducted by KPO’s Artistic Director, Paul Terracini, the concert will also feature the Willoughby Symphony Choir, and soloists from Opera Australia, Imogen-Faith Malfitano, and Celeste Haworth. Mahler composed his second symphony between 1888 and 1894. It was one of his most popular works during his lifetime and for many decades has been widely performed throughout the world.

Mahler 2 is the second of his so-called wunderhorn symphonies due to the inspiration he derived, directly and indirectly, from Das Knaben Wunderhorn, the collection of German language poetry that exerted considerable influence on Austrian and German artists in the late 19th century. As the title suggests, the second symphony’s central theme is life and death, in particular, life after death. The first movement was originally a tone poem named Totenfeier (Funeral Rites), written in 1888. Five years later Mahler composed the second and third movements of what was by then destined to be a large-scale symphony. The fourth movement, featuring contralto soloist, employs a wunderhorn text concerning the struggle for faith. For the fifth, and last, movement, which adds soprano soloist and mixed chorus, he found inspiration in the poem, Die Auferstehung (The Resurrection), by Friederich Klopstock that he heard at the funeral of Hans von Bülow. Mahler then added some text of his own to complete the work.

This performance of one of the most acclaimed symphonies ever written is not to be missed.

Featuring:

Conductor: Paul Terracini

Artists:
Soprano - Imogen-Faith Malfitano
Mezzo Soprano - Celeste Haworth
Willoughby Symphony Choir