Beat Furrer's Begehren is considered one of the most significant works of contemporary music theater of our time. The conductor and composer reworks the Orpheus myth, condensing the ancient sources of Ovid and Virgil with texts by Cesare Pavese, Günter Eich and Hermann Broch, into ten haunting soundscapes. Starting from the tragic moment, when Orpheus looks back at his beloved Eurydice, Furrer uses a new musico-dramatic narrative style to explore the relationship drama of two archetypal figures: "Him" and "Her", their mutual unavailability, and the desperate desire which will never be fulfilled.
To mark his 70th birthday, the Konzerthaus Dortmund is dedicating this year's Zeitinsel to Beat Furrer. The festival was developed in close collaboration with him and will present new compositions alongside Furrer's major works.
Photo Beat Furrer: © Manu Theobald
