Klarafestival against War
Let’s Stick Together against senseless violence
Klarafestival shares the general outrage over the war in Ukraine. As members of the European Festival Association, we support, through Festivals against War, the call to remain committed via arts and culture. Klarafestival brings together artists and audiences of all nationalities, from all communities, to achieve dialogue and awareness through music.
Our festival themes and concerts encourage reflection. They offer beauty and comfort, but also hold up a mirror. With Klarafestival 2022’s motto, ‘Let’s Stick Together’, this is more than ever an appeal for solidarity and unity. And at the same time, it is an indictment of aggression, polarisation and the resultant suffering.
Different artists expressed their wish to reflect on the cruelty and helplessness of this war via their music. Klarafestival supports them fully, in solidarity with the war victims.
The opening concert of Klarafestival held on Friday 11th of March in Bozar will start off with the contemplative Hymn 2001 of the Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, interpreted by the Orchestre National de France led by Cristian Măcelaru. Conductor Vladimir Jurowski and the Bayerisches Staatsorchester will equally pay tribute to the war victims in Ukraine during their concert on the 16th of March. Furthermore, Brussels Philharmonic will premiere on the 19th of March the newly created Slava Ukraini! Heroyam Slava by Flemish composer Piet Swerts, who wrote it as a personal reaction to the crisis.
Finally, Festival for Compassion, an initiative of Wonderfeel Festival, commissioned the Ukrainian-Dutch composer Maxim Shalygin to write music that calls for peace. The result is Drop after drop, which will premiere as part of Klarafestival with on 25 March in Bozar, performed by the Belgian National Orchestra conducted by Dirk Brossé. The composition will afterwards be presented at different European festivals. Its trajectory can be followed via www.festivalsforcompassion.com.
A number of composers in our programme have captured in their music the cruelty or helplessness associated with war. They have done this as observers or as persons directly involved. This has often resulted in troubled and even controversial works. Notwithstanding, Klarafestival presents these, frames them and opens them to discussion, in the hope that we might learn from them. Because only through dialogue, with each other and with the past, can we progress towards harmonious coexistence.
Let’s Stick Together against senseless violence
Let’s Stand Together in solidarity with all those involved
Let’s Pray Together for a peaceful outcome
