Title: Beethoven 9th Symphony & Ruins of Athens
In memoriam Lewis du Pont Smith
Megan Monaghan, soprano
Raffaella Lo Castro, alto
Timothy Bentch, tenor
Richard Zuch, bass
Beethoven: The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113
Beethoven: Synphony No. 9 in d minor, Op. 125
Two works by Beethoven, one rarely heard (except for its famous “Turkish March”), the other among the most frequently performed—and both written in the context of the Napoleonic Wars. The Ruins of Athens, composed in 1811 shortly after Napoleon’s occupation of Vienna (where Beethoven lived), uses the devastation of Athens by the Ottoman Empire as commentary on the ruins of Austria. The Ninth Symphony was composed during the repressive political environment in Vienna after Napoleon’s defeat and exile. Its soaring final (choral) movement, the “Ode to Joy,” celebrates the triumph of universal brotherhood over war and desperation, and has become the official anthem of the European Union. A concert that is sure to lift your spirits!
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes, including one intermission
This concert sponsored by Mrs. Lewis du Pont Smith and Mr. & Mrs. Henry B. du Pont Smith
For more information, please visit, voxamadeus.org