Saariaho Festival (2011)
A tribute to one of the greatest composers of The past decades. The New European Ensemble in collaboration with the Residentie Orkest, Dag in de Branding, the Royal Conservatoire, and the Dr Anton Philipszaal.
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Saariaho Festival The Hague. I have always felt an affinity with the music of Kaija Saariaho, and I am very happy that we are able to welcome her in person for this special festival. We hope that this festival will become a beautiful exposition of many facets of Kaija Saariaho’s artistic oeuvre. The programme includes nearly all of her works for large ensemble and a wide selection of her most important orchestral and chamber music pieces. The festival underscores the important connection between Kaija Saariaho’s music and the visual arts, with exhibitions at Theater aan het Spui and in the Atrium of The Hague City Hall.
I first encountered the music of Kaija Saariaho at the age of fifteen. I was enchanted by the beauty and the drama hidden within it and felt as though time had stopped. This introverted music seems constantly to be searching for a way to express the mysteries of human life. Kaija Saariaho draws inspiration from many different sources: light, nature, the starry sky, and poetry. From my very first encounter, I was captivated by her music.
The journey we undertake to discover this mystical, warm, and intimate music promises to be multifaceted and rich in depth. I am pleased that you are sharing this journey with us and hope that you will allow yourself to be carried away by the poetry of this music, which ranks among the most enchanting of our time.
