Styriarte

Does the concept of hero hold any meaning for us nowadays? Have heroes not had their day? Apparently not - it looks as though heroes and heroines are back.

Nowadays the heroes of everyday life are held in high esteem, from carers in hospitals to activists for diversity and saving the environment. And due to the war in Ukraine, even the kind of hero that defends our liberty with arms has made a comeback - along with fears and uncertainty and a new understanding of what it really means to be a hero: role models who give us the courage to face up to difficulties no matter how great and find a way out of seemingly hopeless situations.

When we conceived the idea for the 2023 Styriarte Festival, we had no idea how topical it would prove to be; it relates to an operatic masterpiece by Johann Joseph Fux, but in fact also has much wider implications. Alfredo Bernadini conducts highlights from Fux’s “Costanza e fortezza”, a work about the fight for freedom of the early Roman Republic. But many other ancient heroes of Baroque opera, from Cleopatra and Julius Caesar to the Queen of Sheba, will take centre stage at the 2023 Styriarte.

True heroes from the history of music, like Beethoven, that giant of the Classical period, and courageous women like Clara Schumann, who had to fight to practise her profession, are also brought to the fore in this year’s Styriarte, as are heroes from all walks of life, like Harriet Tubman, who helped slaves to escape. The wide range of performers includes Maestro Jordi Savall, as well as rising stars like Marie Spaemann and Miriam Kutrowatz.

• Download the programme book

• Programme overview