Christoph Hartmann: “Metamorphoses” | September 20th

“ALTROVE – ALTRI LUOGHI, NUOVE VIE”

“The concert is about to begin: the audience is kindly requested to keep their smartphones turned on!”

It is certainly unusual to hear such an invitation. Yet, this is exactly what will happen at this extraordinary concert for oboe and—precisely—smartphone.

This is an innovative and technologically advanced version of Benjamin Britten’s Metamorphoses for solo oboe, offering a complete immersion into the ancient Mediterranean world.

Framing and contextualizing this work are several contemporary pieces reflecting on the themes of the exhibition at Fondazione Merz, “Mario Merz Prize 5. Shortlist art exhibition,” which will close on September 21st, coinciding with the conclusion of the Narrazioni Parallele Festival. Among the pieces are Antal Dorati’s Five Pieces and a composition by the Sicilian Gianluca Cangemi, Sacra * 3, specially created for the occasion, in which ancient Sicilian folk evocations intertwine with Palestinian songs.

The program concludes with the premiere of Metamorphosis by Willy Merz, which blends sonic references to ancient characters from Ovid’s text with soundscapes of endangered natural sites through an experimental use of smartphone technology. Nature and Technology vibrate together with the music in an innovative way, thanks also to the performance by Christoph Hartmann, one of the world’s great oboists. A member of the Berlin Philharmonic since 1992, he currently maintains an intensive concert schedule as a soloist in Europe, Asia, and the United States.