Hans Christian Andersen 200th Anniversary

Saturday 2 April 2005 at 7.00pm

Symphony Hall, Birmingham +44 (0)121-780 3333

Rumon Gamba  conductor
Simon Callow  presenter
CBSO Chorus  
City of Birmingham Symphony Youth Chorus  

Norgard: The Will O The Wisps Go To Town 45'
Grieg: Incidental Music to Peer Gynt 50'

We celebrate the 200th Birthday today of the great Danish story-teller Hans Christian Andersen with a major premiere based on his work. This concert forms part of a worldwide project, Symphonic Fairytales, for which ten Danish composers have contributed new works inspired by Andersen's stories: we are delighted to be presenting the work of Denmark's leading composer Per Nrrgård, which uses orchestra, choirs, soloist and a narrator to tell one of Andersen's last stories. It is followed by another great piece of story-telling, the collaboration between Andersen's illustrious Norwegian contemporaries Edvard Grieg and Henrik Ibsen.

Tickets £7 - £36

Sounds Interesting pre-concert talk at 5.45pm
The Composer's Perspective - Per Nrrgård. The eminent Danish composer Per Nrrgård talks to broadcaster Stephen Johnson about his new work, The Will O'the Wisps Are in Town, to be premiered tonight.