Concert in the Cologne Cathedral

Neither Feldman nor Beckett liked opera. Neither did Beckett appreciate hearing his texts set to music nor did Feldman enjoying setting texts to music. Beckett did not know Feldman’s music nor did he name his original a poem. Beckett ultimately noted down the theme of his life in 87 words on a postcard: »to and fro in shadow from inner to outer shadow ...« Beckett’s postcard serves as the basis for Feldman’s ingenious one-act work for soprano and orchestra, a fascinating tightrope act that Laura Aikin will perform without a safety net. At this first performance in the Cologne Cathedral conducted by François-Xavier Roth, Feldman’s floating music not only reflects on the mystery of human existence, it also revolves around questions of beliefs that go beyond reality. Feldman drew inspiration for his soft and fine music from Franco-Flemish vocal polyphony, among other sources, as can be heard from the Cologne Cathedral Vocal Ensemble conducted by its cathedral director of music Eberhard Metternich.