Back On Stage III: DESTINY

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Back On Stage III: DESTINY was filmed in Nov 2020 with a live audience, when the City Hall Concert Hall was temporarily opened. Conductor Christoph Poppen and cellist Aurélien Pascal made their way to Hong Kong from Munich and Paris respectively, when the two cities were still very much in limbo. They went through 14 days of hotel quarantine before the first rehearsal.

In this concert, Hong Kong Sinfonietta takes you on a journey through three great works, all tied to the theme of destiny: Mendelssohn’s Ruy Blas Overture – a tragic story of an illicit relationship. Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1 – a personal song of lonely hardship, struggles and dreams. And Beethoven’s Symphony No 5 – which starts with fate knocking at the door, and ends in a wave of positive euphoria.

The film carries a message through its music, images, and dialogue: Per aspera ad astra – from the dust to the stars. Destiny need not be gloom. Having hope in the midst of uncertainty is one of the most powerful aspects of life, and particularly relevant during the global pandemic.

Principal Guest Conductor Christoph Poppen
Cello Aurélien Pascal
Director Stanley Ho

Programme
Mendelssohn
Ruy Blas Overture, Op 95

Shostakovich
Cello Concerto No 1 in E-flat, Op 107

Beethoven
Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

One of Hong Kong’s flagship orchestras, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has brought music closer to the community, and achieved significant local and international recognition for its passionate performances and innovative programming. Since 1999, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has collaborated with an illustrious array of international musicians and groups, including in recent years Ilya Gringolts, Martin Helmchen, Sergei Nakariakov, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Krzysztof Penderecki, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. The orchestra is a regular guest at international arts festivals and has toured 41 cities around the world. As an avid believer of keeping music alive and contemporary, Hong Kong Sinfonietta commissions and performs new works every year and ventures into crossover initiatives, recently receiving wide acclaim for its groundbreaking concert films at MOViE MOViE, Back On Stage and Back On Stage II (Quarantined!).