Dresden – Members of the Saxon State Orchestra will open the “Contemporary Music Days” in Dresden this Tuesday with a portrait concert by the composer Olga Neuwirth. The festival was founded in 1987 by Udo Zimmermann (1943-2021) and quickly found international resonance. In the meantime it operated under the name “Tonlagen”, now the organizer Zentrum der Europäische Künste in the Festspielhaus Hellerau returned to the original name. It now takes place every two years. As the Staatskapelle announced on Sunday, part of Neuwirth’s “coronAtion” cycle from the first year of the Covid pandemic can also be heard at the opening concert. The renowned composer from Austria is currently the guest of honor of the Staatskapelle as “Capell-Compositrice”.
Numerous concerts are on offer at the “Contemporary Music Days” until May 7th. The MDR Symphony Orchestra and the Elbland Philharmonic Saxony are also involved. Artists from the formations Trickster Orchestra (Berlin), Omnibus Ensemble (Tashkent) and Hezarfen Ensemble (Istanbul) are working together in Dresden for a week and want to make music as a “Future Tradition Orchestra”. In addition, symposia on Aribert Reimann’s music theater and on the future of the international, experimental and independent music theater scene are planned. A new music classic is also included: “Music for 18 Musicians” by Steve Reich – played by the Ensemble Modern.
