“A symphony must be like the world. It must contain everything,” wrote Gustav Mahler, the celebrated Austrian composer who lived in Ljubljana between 1881 and 1882, when he worked as a conductor at the Provincial Theatre and also appeared in concerts of the Philharmonic Society. The Mahler in Ljubljana programme continues the tradition of performing the composer’s works in chamber arrangements at the summer festival. This evening begins with Blumine, once the second movement of Mahler’s Titan. It is followed by the Lieder cycle Songs of a Wayfarer, written to Mahler’s own texts between 1884 and 1885 as an expression of unhappy love. The concert culminates in a chamber version of the Symphony No. 1 in D major, “Titan”, which combines natural symbolism, folk dances, grotesque elements and a triumphant apotheosis.

The works are interpreted by the Ensemble Dissonance, conductor Uroš Lajovic and baritone Domen Križaj. The Ensemble Dissonance is one of Slovenia’s most active chamber ensembles, combining classical repertoire, new music and collaborations with Slovene and international artists in various line-ups. Uroš Lajovic has conducted many Slovene and foreign orchestras over the course of his 50-year career and given more than 1,400 concerts. As the founder of the Slovenicum Chamber Orchestra and a teacher in Vienna, he has made a significant contribution to the recognition of Slovene music and the teaching of conducting internationally. Since completing his studies, Domen Križaj has achieved numerous successes at international competitions, appeared at the Salzburg Festival and built a rich operatic and concert repertoire.