Inspired by René Descartes’ The Passions of the Soul (1649), the Portuguese Youth Orchestra (JOP) presents a musical journey that explores the complex interaction between body and mind at the origin of human emotions. The concert, conducted by Pedro Carneiro, spans centuries of music, from the enigmatic magic of György Kurtág (celebrating his centenary in 2026) to the melancholic sweetness of John Dowland’s (1563-1626) vocal music. The programme also celebrates the nature and lyricism of Dvořák and Smetana, evoking the Bohemian forests and the Vltava River, along with the overwhelming beauty of Tchaikovsky, in an orchestral fantasy inspired by Shakespeare on love and destiny, and the existential mystery of Charles Ives.
Programme
Varga Bálint Ligaturája, György Kurtág
O sweet woods, Second Booke of Songes, John Dowland
Paz, from Florestas boémias, op. 68, Antonin Dvorak
O rio Vltava, from A minha pátria, Bedřich Smetana
Romeu e Julieta (Abertura Fantasia), TH 42, Piotr Ilitch Tchaikovsky
The Unanswered Question, Charles Ives
