Brahms’ Requiem contains treasures of sublime beauty, of noble grandeur, of calm and sublimated sadness and of ardent humanity. While the urgency to celebrate life may, in our current context, feel overwhelming, Brahms helps us to meditate on death—and to find peace. The last evening of the festival at the amphitheatre was with these wonderful dancers of the Grands Ballets, incredible acrobats, constant defiers of time and gravity, as they trod on the outdoor stage for the first time. It was yesterday, but also a century ago. Are we still who we knew ourselves to be? This reunion may show us the answer.
Johannes Brahms
Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45
