‘La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, Altinoglu & Trenque’

Apocalyptic trumpets. An organ. A gigantic symphonic orchestra and ditto choir. An additional 'Fernorchester'. Bells. Vocal soloists. That's all it takes to perform Gustav Mahler's monumental Second Symphony. The dimension of means betrays the ambition of the message: not the hardships and misfortunes of life, not misery and fear, not even death have the last word. Man is capable of overcoming himself and his mortality.  From the grim Totenfeier march of the opening movement to the euphoric ecstasy of the final chorus, this "Auferstehungssymphonie" keeps you as a listener under its spell for an hour and a half. Performed under the inspired direction of music director Alain Altinoglu, it is an impressive start to the Mahler cycle presented by the Monnaie Orchestra, the Belgian National Orchestra and Bozar in Brussels over the next two seasons.