LAF CLOSING EVENT. MESSIAEN, BOULEZ. HET COLLECTIEF

The Liepāja Art Forum will be concluded by grands of contemporary French music. Mystic Olivier Messiaen and Pierre Boulez will be performed by masterful Belgian chamber ensemble Het Collectief.

In the concert program, Het Collectief will present one of the most seminal works created in the twentieth century – the Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time) by French composer Olivier Messiaen.

The passionately religious Messiaen composed this apocalyptic musical vision in 1941 during his detention in the war camp Stalag VIII in Silesia. Impressed by the appalling conditions, the composer chose the biblical Apocalypse as a source of inspiration. As a result, Messiaen succeeded in blurring the notion of time and space into this unusual and grandiose piece. The work combines ingenious and unique harmonic and rhythmic procedures, including often maintaining extremely slow tempos.

“For Het Collectief as well, a performance of the Quatuor is still a breathtaking experience. Time and again we are overwhelmed by the universal, mystical message that the work conveys,” members of the collective say.

As a prelude to Messiaen, the collective will perform music by one of his most influential students, Pierre Boulez. The work is full of the most innovative composition techniques and is particularly difficult to play both instrumentally as in the coordination of the parts.

About the collective:

Het Collectief, founded 23 years ago in Brussels, boldly blurs the lines between traditional, contemporary and ancient music. By using an unusual combination of string and wind instruments and piano, the five skilled musicians, also named the “daredevils of classical music”, charm audiences all over the globe with their emotionally saturated style and musical craft.

At 4 p.m., we invite you to a pre-concert conversation with musicologist Dāvis Enģelis in the 2nd floor gallery.

Organized by: Great Amber

Supported by: Liepāja City Council and State Culture Capital Foundation

Tickets: from 10.00 euros. Ticket prices may change approaching the event.

Place: Great Hall, Concert hall Great Amber

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

INFORMATION FOR EVENT ATTENDEES:

We will ask all attendees to present a Covid-19 certificate at the entrance, confirming vaccination or recovery from Covid-19. We will also ask you to present personal identification and an event ticket. Face masks will not be mandatory during the event.

The event is intended for an adult audience. Children under the age of 5 may be denied attendance to events for adult audiences.

Discounts:

• Students, teachers, seniors – 25%
• Persons with group I and II disabilities and their companions – 50%
• Family tickets: 1 or 2 adults + 2 (or more) children – 25%

NB.  Upon attending a concert, the attendee must show personal identification.

Group tickets:

• 10–30 persons – 20%
• 30 and more persons – 25%