Work of the week

Hans Werner Henze’s Sinfonia N. 9 is a choral symphony against forgetting: a work about flight, persecution, guilt and resistance, based on Anna Seghers’s novel The Seventh Cross. In the year of Henze’s centenary, this late major work returns with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, the Rundfunkchor Berlin and Duncan Ward in Berlin and at the Lucerne Festival.

Karen Tanaka’s Verse of Light explores the tension between technology and humanity. This new concerto for trumpet and orchestra combines expansive sonorities, emotional depth and a reflection on how hope and empathy can endure in an increasingly digital world. 

With Skin Wrinkles Microscopic Zoom-in, Alex Paxton explores the sensory worlds of landscape, touch and close observation. The work for string orchestra transforms everyday perception into a vivid and highly imaginative musical experience. 

With Il gattopardo, Nino Rota created far more than a film score. His later symphonic suite transforms the musical world of Luchino Visconti’s cinematic masterpiece into an independent concert work exploring memory, social change and the passing of an era.

Pēteris Vasks’ Presence is one of the composer’s most profound works for cello and strings. Balancing contemplation and dramatic intensity, it explores ideas of awareness, connection and human presence. 

Steve Martland’s Horses of Instruction remains one of the defining works of his output, combining relentless rhythmic energy with remarkable compositional precision. A 2026 performance by the Bang on a Can All-Stars invites a renewed look at this influential score. 

Richard Wagner’s Rienzi returns to attention through a landmark event in 2026: its first-ever performance at the Bayreuth Festival. The occasion invites a fresh look at the composer’s early breakthrough work and its place within nineteenth-century opera.  

Stefan Heucke’s Concert Variations receives its premiere in Münster, bringing a new orchestral work into the spotlight. The performance highlights a composer known for bridging tradition and contemporary language.

Gerald Barry’s The Importance of Being Earnest transforms Oscar Wilde’s comedy into a sharp, high-velocity operatic experience. Premiered at Garsington Opera with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Douglas Boyd, the work exemplifies Barry’s distinctive musical voice.