At the culmination of her week-long residency, Barbara Hannigan and the Ludwigsburg Festival Orchestra devote themselves entirely to the play of light and shadow. Hannigan, who is both a soprano and a conductor, borrows this source of inspiration from a style of baroque painting. In the programme of the same name, the contrasting »Chiaroscuro« is translated into two successive concerts. »Bright Lights« opens up a world of optimistic sounds, catchy melodies and amusing musical ideas. Igor Stravinsky's »Pulcinella« is characterised by a neo-classical approach that strives for a friendlier tone after its gruff predecessors. Joseph Haydn's 90th Symphony, on the other hand, shows how to tell a joke in a musical way. For the crowning finale, Hannigan impresses as a singing conductor in the lively suite of George Gershwin's »Girl Crazy«. This exuberance is answered by »The Dark Side« with new emotions: Arnold Schoenberg's »Verklärte Nacht« is drenched in melancholy, self-doubt and crisis. Shortly before his step into atonality, Schönberg nevertheless finds light in the darkness with a conciliatory major ending. Claude Vivier's »Lonely Child« further presents an increasingly dissonant lament of loneliness under haunting gong strokes. The »perennial question of existence« concludes the evening: »The Unanswered Question« by Charles Ives reveals the impossibility of an answer and leaves the audience in a state of musical limbo. 

For visitors to both parts of the concert, an intermission snack worth €20 is available at the Danza Theatre Restaurant for €10. Between »Bright Lights« and »The Dark Side«, enjoy a trilogy of soup and two other hearty treats, accompanied by a glass of wine and water. Please register for this at the information table in the foyer. This offer is also available to last-minute guests who would like to stay spontaneously for the second part of the concert.

Both concert parts will be broadcast from 8:30 pm on our Digital Stage and by ARTE Concert, and at a later time by SWR2 and Deutschlandfunk. In addition, both parts can be heard free of charge at the original times (7pm and 10pm) via audio transmission in the Court of Honour of the Residenzschloss.

No testing requirement. Due to current regulations regarding occupancy capacity, no proof of vaccination, recovery or negative test is required for this event.