Mahler Universe: Symphony No. 8 "of the Thousand" at the Gran Teatre del Liceu

In 1906, Gustav Mahler described his Eighth Symphony as his most ambitious creation of his entire previous catalogue in both content and form. According to Mahler, the symphony was revealed to him as a blazing vision, with a unique structure: from beginning to end, everything is sung, with human voices as essential instruments. The work fuses two disparate texts in different languages: the medieval hymn Veni creator spiritus and the final scene of Goethe's Faust, which explores and expresses a common idea of redemption through the grace of love.

The challenge of bringing an Eighth to life surpasses that of any other symphonic work. Josep Pons, after these years at the helm of the orchestra and chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, puts the final touch on this magnificent musical episode, having transformed the ensembles and leaving his own mark. This overwhelming Symphony of a Thousand, one of the greatest works of all time, will be an exciting culmination of this love story. Thank you, Josep!