GAIA’s Opening Night is an immersion into the very essence of the festival: a celebration of music and connection.

Visitors to our Opening Night experience a whole evening of music for a symbolic contribution of CHF 10. Three groups of artists from the festival play at three venues, including the Klösterli and the Haus der Musik (House of Music). These artists play works from the festival programme.

Experience music and theater in 30-minute sequences. The sequences are repeated three times at each concert venue, with a half-hour break in between. During the breaks, you can enjoy refreshments and take a leisurely stroll from one concert venue to the next. All three venues are within a 7-minute walk of one another. Listen to different groups and styles of music and enjoy the evening in a relaxed atmosphere. You decide the course of your evening.

1st venue: Klösterli – Excerpts from "The Journey" with Lukas Bärfuss, Gwendolyn Masin and the ORIGIN Ensemble
2nd venue: MUMM Museum for Clocks, Watches and Mechanical Musical Instruments – Finghin Collins (piano)
3rd venue: Oberhofen Castle, Salle Harrach – Surprise guests: Melinda Nadj Abonji (writer), Mich Gerber (double bass)

Programme

6:30 pm
only in Klösterli
Festival introduction and talk with Lukas Bärfuss and Gwendolyn Masin

7 – 7:30 pm
Concert
at all three locations

8 – 8:30 pm
Concert
at all three locations

9 – 9:30 pm
Concert
at all three locations

Following this
only at Klösterli
Reception with the artists – after the third concert, the public is cordially invited to meet again for a nightcap in Klösterli and to socialize with one other and the artists.

The detailed programme will be announced on the evening of Opening Night.
 

Ticket price: CHF 10
Advance sales from February 2024

Lukas Bärfuss and Gwendolyn Masin present a unique production at the intersection between concert, reading, lecture and music theater, which reflects the diversity and commonalities of the region between Ukraine and Budapest in literary and musical terms.

Antoine Auberson (*1957)
«Comment tu pries, comment tu danses?»

Béla Bartók (1881–1945)
Romanian Dances
arr. Arthur Willner/Gwendolyn Masin

Raymond Deane (*1953)
Hungarian Jewish Melodies

Zara Levina (1906–1976)
Kanzonetta

Mykola Lyssenko (1842–1912)
Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes No. 2, Op.18
arr. Ákos Hoffman
 

A full list of the pieces that make up the main programme of "The Journey" can be found on The Journey website.
 

Performers:
Text and presentation: Lukas Bärfuss
Musical direction and violin: Gwendolyn Masin
Violins: Jiska Lambrecht, Manon Leutwyler
Viola: Martin Moriarty
Cello: Sandro Meszaros
Bass: Lars Schaper
 

Ticket price: CHF 60.–/50.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–

Lukas Bärfuss and Gwendolyn Masin present a unique production at the intersection between concert, reading, lecture and music theater, which reflects the diversity and commonalities of the region between Ukraine and Budapest in literary and musical terms.

Antoine Auberson (*1957)
«Comment tu pries, comment tu danses?»

Béla Bartók (1881–1945)
Romanian Dances
arr. Arthur Willner/Gwendolyn Masin

Raymond Deane (*1953)
Hungarian Jewish Melodies

Zara Levina (1906–1976)
Kanzonetta

Mykola Lyssenko (1842–1912)
Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes No. 2, Op.18
arr. Ákos Hoffman
 

A full list of the pieces that make up the main programme of "The Journey" can be found on The Journey website.
 

Performers:
Text and presentation: Lukas Bärfuss
Musical direction and violin: Gwendolyn Masin
Violins: Jiska Lambrecht, Manon Leutwyler
Viola: Martin Moriarty
Cello: Sandro Meszaros
Bass: Lars Schaper
 

Ticket price: CHF 60.–/50.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–

Paul Ben-Haim (1897–1984)
Molto moderato
from: Quintet Op. 31a
for Clarinet and String Quartet
9’

Robert Kahn (1865–1951)
Serenade Op. 73
for Oboe, Viola and Piano
Andante sostenuto
Vivace
Allegretto non troppo e grazioso
10’

Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959)
Serenade No. 3, H. 218
for Oboe, Clarinet, Four Violins and Cello
Poco allegro
Thema con variazioni. Andante poco moderato
7’

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
Symphony No. 10, «Jugendsinfonie»
for Strings
Adagio – Allegro – Più presto
9’

Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)
«Phantasy Quartet» Op. 2
for Oboe, Violin, Viola and Cello
Andante alla marcia – Allegro giusto – Andante – Tempo primo
15’

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Piano Concerto in A major, K. 414
Allegro
Andante
Rondeau. Allegretto
26’ 

Musicians
Oboe: Ivan Podyomov
Clarinet: Calogero Palermo
Violin: Nicolas Dautricourt, Minna Pensola, Antti Tikkanen, Wouter Vossen
Viola: Tomoko Akasaka, Martin Moriarty
Violoncello: Benedict Kloeckner, Sandro Meszaros, Amy Norrington
Double bass: Lars Schaper
Piano: Finghin Collins

Ticket price: CHF 60.–/50.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–

Sylvie Bodorová (*1954)
Dzha More
for Violin
Swiss Premiere
5’

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370
for Oboe, Violin, Viola and Cello
Allegro
Adagio
Rondo. Allegro (ma non troppo)
15’

Gareth Lubbe (*1976)
Miniatures
for Viola and Overtone singing
Premiere
11’

Misirlou
arr. for String Quartet
3’

Sapo Perapaskero (*1978), Taraf de Haïdouks
Turceasca
arr. for Strings
6’

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20
for Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass
Adagio – Allegro con brio
Adagio cantabile
Tempo di Menuetto
Tema con Variazioni. Andante
Scherzo. Allegro molto e vivace
Andante con moto alla Marcia – Presto
46’

Musicians
Oboe: Ivan Podyomov
Clarinet: Calogero Palermo
Bassoon: Daniel Mota
Horn: Olivier Darbellay
Violin: Nicolas Dautricourt, Gwendolyn Masin, Antti Tikkanen
Viola: Gareth Lubbe, Martin Moriarty
Violoncello: Sandro Meszaros, Amy Norrington
Double bass: Lars Schaper
Voice: Gareth Lubbe

Ticket price: CHF 60.–/50.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–

Cocurated with Goldparmäne and Amandine Beyer

Marin Marais (1656–1728)
Ouverture Prelude
from : Pièces en Trio
2’

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665–1729)
Dormés, ne vous defendés
from: “Le sommeil d’Ulisse”, Cantates françoises
9’

Antoine Dornel (c. 1680–after 1757)
Air grave
from: Livre de Simphonies
2’

Michel Pignolet de Monteclair (1667–1737)
Tirans de l'empire de l'onde
from: «La Mort de Didon», Cantates à voix seule et avec simfonie
2’

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665–1729)
Lieux écartez
from: «Céphale et Procris»
5’

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665–1729)
Aria
from: Sonates pour le Violon et pour le Clavecin
4’

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764)
Viens Hymen
from: «Les Indes galantes»
4’

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665–1729)
Presto
from: Sonates pour le Viollon et pour le Clavecin
2’

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665–1729)
Les arbres réjoüis
from: «L'Île de Delos», Cantates françoises
2’

Michel de la Barre (1675-1745)
Chaconne
from: Premier Livre des Trio
7’

Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)
Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), Op. 4
31’
 

Musicians
Ensemble Goldparmäne, with soloist Amandine Beyer and
Violin: Gwendolyn Masin, Wouter Vossen
Viola: Gareth Lubbe, Martin Moriarty
Violoncello: Benedict Kloeckner, Amy Norrington

Ticket price: CHF 60.–/50.–/40.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–

Cocurated with Danae Dörken and Martin Moriarty

17: 30 – Hotel Seepark Thun
Reading and aperitif talk
with the writer Melinda Nadj Abonji

We are setting off. On the road. Arrive. Sounds simple. But setting off is complicated, being on the road is unpredictable, arriving is overwhelmed by expectations. Melinda Nadj Abonji reads from her books "Tauben fliegen auf", "Schildkrötensoldat", "Dunkelkammer" and also talks about the waywardness of language when it becomes a metaphor.

Tickets

Grażyna Bacewicz (1909–1969)
Quartet
for Four Violins
Allegretto
Andante tranquillo
Molto allegro
11’

Frank Bridge (1879–1941)
An Irish Melody «The Londonderry Air»
for String Quartet
Swiss Premiere
7’

Anton Arensky (1861–1906)
Piano Quintet in D major, Op. 51
Allegro moderato
Variations. Andante
Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Finale (in modo antico). Allegro moderato
25’

Pause

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34
Allegro non troppo
Andante, un poco Adagio
Scherzo. Allegro
Finale. Poco sostenuto – Allegro non troppo
41’

Musicians
Violin: Nicolas Dautricourt, Gareth Lubbe, Minna Pensola, Wouter Vossen
Viola: Gareth Lubbe, Martin Moriarty
Violoncello: Sandro Meszaros, Benjamin Nyffenegger
Piano: Danae Dörken

Ticket price: CHF 60.–/50.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–

Cocurated with Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen

Traditional Catalan Folk Song
Song of the Birds
for Cello, Piano and Overtone Singing
4’

Paul Hindemith (1895–1963)
Scherzo
for Viola and Cello
4’

Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919–1996)
Sonata
for Two Violins, Op. 69  
18’

Dramaturgical performance of the Sonata in dialogue with contemporary Songs by Ilse Weber, Adolf Strauss and Alexander Kipnis

Allegro molto

«Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt»
Ilse Weber (1903–1944), music and poem
2’

Adagio

«Ich weiß bestimmt ich werd Dich wiedersehen»
Music: Adolf Strauss (1902–1944), poem: Ludwig Hift (1899-1981)
2’

Allegro

«Berjoskele»
Arrangement: Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944), melody: aus Menachem Kipnis’ (1878–1942) Collection of Jewish Songs, poem: David Einhorn (1886–1973)
Swiss Premiere
2’

Edward Elgar (1857–1934)
Piano Quintet in A minor, Op. 84
Moderato – Allegro
Adagio
Andante – Allegro
38’
 

Musicians
Violin: Gwendolyn Masin,Minna Pensola, Antti Tikkanen
Viola: Tomoko Akasaka
Violoncello: Benedict Kloeckner
Piano: Finghin Collins, Gareth Lubbe
Voice: Gareth Lubbe

Ticket price incl. Prosecco-Apéro: CHF 75.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–

Cocurated with Benedict Kloeckner and Folk Music Ensemble Alpinis

Valentin Silvestrov (*1937)
Two Serenades (2002)
for Two Violoncelli (quasi «Violoncello Solo»)
IV. Evening Serenade – Moderato
V. Moments of a Serenade – Andantino
5’

The folk music formation of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Folk Music Ensemble Alpinis
Amadé Salzmann(1947-1992): En Popige
Christoph Pfändler(*1992): Timo – Uraufführung
Carlo Brunner (*1955):Poschiavina
13’

Kurt Weill (1900–1950)/Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956)
Excerpts from «Die Dreigroschenoper»
arr. for Violin and Piano
Die Moritat von Mackie Messer
Zuhälterballade
Ballade vom angenehmen Leben
6 ’

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)
Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8
11’

The folk music formation of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Folk Music Ensemble Alpinis
Dominik Furger(*2000):Flora-Suite
1. Wildmannli-Schottisch
2. Änzä-Jüüzli
3. Syywblüämä-Walzer
4. Dischtälä-Ländler
10’

George Enescu (1881–1955)
String Octet in C major, Op. 7
Très modéré
Très fougueux
Lentement
Mouvement de Valse bien rythmée
40’
 

Musicians
Violin: Nicolas Dautricourt, Gwendolyn Masin, Antti Tikkanen
Viola: Gareth Lubbe, Martin Moriarty
Violoncello: Benedict Kloeckner, Amy Norrington
Piano: Danae Dörken
Folk Music Ensemble Alpinis (Direction: Christoph Pfändler)

Ticket price: CHF 60.–/50.–

Students/KulturLegi: CHF 15.–
Children up to 12 years accompanied by an adult: CHF 5.–