Mahler Tour Highlights

 

From October 23rd to November 3rd, 2024, the orchestra embarked on a musical journey, captivating concert-goers in Berlin, Baden-Baden, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Munich, and Athens.

Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, a towering masterpiece, provided a thrilling centerpiece for the tour. Its grandeur and emotional depth resonated with audiences, who were transported by Currentzis’ passionate interpretation.

Equally dazzling was Schwartz’s “Passacaglia — Music for Orchestra IX”. This new work, commissioned for Utopia, showcased the composer’s innovative style and provided a stimulating contrast to Mahler. The fusion of these two distinct compositions created a thought-provoking and immersive musical experience.

Critics hailed the performances as “a celebration of sonic beauty” and “profoundly impressive” experience. The orchestra’s technical finesse and emotional intensity drew rave reviews.

Tagesspiegel:
With Currentzis, the piece unfolds in a more tender and at the same time more exuberant manner, with a manifest desire for a moving expression in each bar.

VAN Magazine:
In the unexpected calm of the Adagietto, pianissimi hover just a hair above silence. Yet amid all this celebration of sonic beauty and brilliance, Currentzis’ dramatic pacing and the finely tuned balance of sound ensure that the listener never loses the thread, even if they cannot fully grasp it.

Klassik Begeistert:
The Utopia Orchestra unleashed Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, delivering a true euphoria of sound with an astonishing richness of thematic quotations, a wealth of tremendous dynamics, precision, and above all, cohesive unity.

BR Klassik:
Currentzis has achieved a Mahler interpretation of remarkable density and depth, which has been met with unanimous acclaim. The audience was undoubtedly moved by the performance.

Süddeutsche Zeitung:
With Teodor Currentzis and his Utopia Orchestra, music takes on an incredible intensity. It teeters on the edge, but remains profoundly impressive. The sheer force of the music achieves a rare balance — borderline overwhelming, yet undeniably captivating. It’s a style that stands alone in its uniqueness today.