Georgian history, politics and landscape in premiere of new Norwegian violin concerto

Henning Sommerro © Aleksandre Khatiskatsi

For the next four days (3-6 January 2017) there is chance to hear the premiere performances of a new violin concerto Borders by Norwegian composer Henning Sommerro. Borders combines a traditional violin concerto with influences from politics and history, along with a multimedia performance. The work will be performed by Georgian violinist Aleksandre Khatiskatsi with Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Olso Filharmonien), conductor Vasily Petrenko, at Oslo Konserthus.

Georgia plays a large role in the concerto, as it is partly inspired by the Norwegian author and artist Dagny Juel, who was murdered in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1903; Juel is known for her association with artists Edvard Munch, August Strindberg, Richard Dehmel and Stanisław Przybyszewski, but was a creator in her own right. Sommerro, who is writing an opera based on Dagny Juel, was encouraged by Aleksandre Khtiskatsi to travel to modern day Georgia and thus the concerto is influenced not just by Juel's history in Georgia, but the problems of modern day politics there with social unrest and the rise of the new right. During the performances of the concerto in Oslo, Aleksandre Katiskatsi's photographs (you can see his work at his Alexander Light website) from the trip will be projected, incorporating the landscape of Georgia into the new work.

Full details from the Oslo Philharmonic website.