Orchestra aims to tell life of Shostakovich

This press release may have lost something in translation, but it sounds like an interesting experiment in view of the composer’s dramatic inner life.

Norwegian Chamber Orchestra embarks on a concert-theatre project, ambitious both in scale and artistic scope, around the life and music of Dmitri Shostakovich. Under artistic director Pekka Kuusisto, the visual concert signals a new chapter in the orchestra’s exploration of what a concert can be. DSCH premieres at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet in Oslo with five shows from 3 to 8 June.

In collaboration with some of Denmark’s most prominent theatre professionals the visual concert takes some of Shostakovich’s masterpieces – from chamber music, film music to his Chamber Symphony – and presents them in a new dimension with scenography, visual effects and theatrical narrative. The specially-crafted theatrical and scenographic elements serve as a visual narrative to become a multi-layered, immersive experience. NCO musicians, together with the acclaimed Danish accordionist Bjarke Mogensen, will perform the complex music by heart, in costume and with choreographed moves on stage.

Artistic Director Pekka Kuusisto comments: “With DSCH, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra signals a further step in its reinvention and rediscovery of its artistic core. It is one possible vision of what an orchestra could be in 2023 – not only playing at the highest possible level, but completely redesigning the performance situation. I’ve not encountered another orchestra whose creative process is so wonderfully un-anchored to what ensembles have traditionally done for their audiences. This group manages to be fearless and unbound in the most organised and efficient way, and I’ve fallen head and heels in love with both the spirit of the collective and the personalities of all its members. And the best part of the above is that it’s not ad copy, it’s actually true. I really love them.”

Per Erik Kise Larsen, director of NCO, says: ”Our aim is to foster a deeper connection between the audience and the music. By incorporating theatrical elements, we hope to offer a fresh perspective on classical concerts and create a truly immersive experience for our audiences”.