Concert calendar

Surrounded by vintage charm and automotive history, the Pantheon becomes the backdrop for a dynamic concert program centered around music and mobility. Because it's not just car enthusiasts who will find something to enjoy: the journey extends beyond the asphalt onto railways and cycle paths. 

At the start of the concert, the audience members themselves become a mobile soundscape outside: As part of Mauricio Kagel's "A Breeze: Fleeting Action for 111 Cyclists," a portion of the audience arrives on bicycles, ringing their bells and chimes. Inside the museum, the program continues with Arthur Honegger's "Pacific 231," a powerful homage to the steam locomotive, whose sheer power and rhythm become physically palpable. This industrial soundscape is contrasted by the nervous energy of modernity: John Adams' "Short Ride in a Fast Machine" has the orchestra roaring in a breakneck ride. Inspired by the composer's equally fascinating and unsettling experience in a sports car, the piece races relentlessly forward.

Two pieces by György Ligeti offer a touch of the whimsical: the "Car Horn Prelude" from the opera "Le Grand Macabre" uses car horns as instruments. For the orchestral version of the same opera, "Mysteries of the Macabre," we were delighted to secure the talent of German soprano Sarah Maria Sun. In contrast, the Violin Concerto by car enthusiast Alban Berg showcases a talent from within our own ranks: our concertmaster, Simone Zgraggen, takes on the solo part, lending a very personal touch to this profound work entitled "To the Memory of an Angel.".

The centerpiece of the program is the evening's world premiere: Gemma Ragués Pujol has composed a new work specifically for the Pantheon. Guided by the principle of "cause and effect," she explores the acoustic mechanics of the vintage cars as well as the architectural features of the space. The composition thus uses the museum not only as a backdrop but also makes it resonate with sound.