I haven't listened to classical music for some time. Not to mention the last time I went to a concert... It's been ages! Somehow, being in New Zealand has been first and foremost about discovering the incomparable nature and landscape around me, as it is so unique and breathtaking, it totally fascinates me. The power of novelty, too, and experiencing the greenery, the freshness, after living in a big city with limited access to nature. My journey in New Zealand definitely included much less culture and music - something that was, undoubtedly, a huge and important part of my everyday life, in Paris, in the capital of culture...
I didn't realise I missed it. In this form. Until this week. As I stepped through the timeless wooden doors of the Theatre Royal, to attend the Adam Chamber International Music Festival, one of New Zealand's major musical events, an exciting rush of adrenaline spread through my body and veins...
History. Heritage. Arts. Vibes. The Victorian auditorium. The chandeliers. The red velvety seats. The theatre bar. The wooden stairs. Familiar little details, the zest of the past. Also, my past, my heritage and my memories. All taking me back... somewhere, to a place I used to know... To a place in my heart that I have forgotten, and maybe even unconsciously avoided a little bit, yet it's been always there, part of me... As I sat down, I observed my surroundings even more. The Theatre Royal. The oldest wooden theatre still in use in the Southern Hemisphere. Built in 1878. Redeveloped conserving a beautiful little piece of the past. Topped up with modern technology. Embracing the audience, ready to immerse in the magic of music.
"Music is the language that permits me to converse with the beyond." ~ Robert Schumann On the stage, Matthew Barley (UK) and Dénes Várjon (Hungary), two internationally recognised artists. Performing Beethoven's Sonata in A Major for cello and piano, Op. 69. Definitely my favourite part of the night. It is said to be the first cello sonata in history to give equal importance to both the cello and the piano. Barley's short introduction before the performance gave us an insight and a deeper understanding of the circumstances in which Beethoven composed this remarkable piece. I loved it. So much more interesting once you can put everything a little bit in context. So much easier, at least for me, to better understand the artist and his feelings. I learned that Beethoven wasn't at the best stage of his life, suffering from depression, facing different problems in his life, both on a personal and financial level. Not to mention that by this time, his deafness reached a very severe stage... "Much of music’s power comes from the expression of emotional openness, and indeed hurt. Healers from all cultures, and shamans in particular, derive knowledge and power from their experience of being wounded – in many cultures you cannot heal if you have not ‘died’ in some way, or at the very least spent some time in the underworld. You cannot win if you have not lost, and perhaps felt as if you had forsaken everything." Mark Kidel Slowly, the lights turned dim. The stage lit up. The elegance of the two men in black - the suits, the majestic Steinway. Anticipation in the air. Hands on the instruments. Attention focused. The low notes of the cello begin, followed by the piano. A playful dialogue throughout the sonata. And also, the emergence of repetitive restlessness and calmness, just like within a disturbed mind, searching and craving for something. Peace. Arrival. Lightness. The performance of the musicians was breathtaking. Their personalities, shining through, heartwarming. The way they immersed themselves in the moment, through music. Their facial expressions, gestures, the movements of their bodies and the elegance in their hands. Art. The moments of transition. Tension. The way the music stopped. Breaths were held. The audience synced. Inhaled. Exhaled. And let go. I imagined for a moment what could that mean, to become deaf, for a musician, and yet keep composing, playing, without really hearing... "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." ~ Victor Hugo Art. Art of self-expression. The healing power of art. Without limits... The importance of arts. And music. More than ever...
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