TEXTUR 2026 - Gregor on the Stone

Description

Gregor on the Stone shows the fascinating power of old stories that – like offshoots of a mysterious plant – come to life again in widely separated epochs. Hartmann von Aue established the courtly romance in the German-speaking world in the 12th century, usually adopting the material of his works from French models, including the famous Arthurian legend of Chrétien de Troyes. His romance Gregorius takes up mythological themes and serves as a teaching example for mental strength, self-forgiveness, and faith. In the first part of the concert, Marc Lewon and Baptiste Romain (Ensemble Leones) perform Minnelieder, among others by Hartmann von Aue, Rudolph von Fenis-Neuenburg, and Walther von Klingen, and take the audience into the universe of courtly lyric poetry of the 12th century. In the second part, the program makes a leap into modernity. The material of Hartmann's Gregorius is presented in two poignant new versions: the ballad by Carl Loewe (1838), which gives the evening its title, sung by Angélique Greuter and accompanied on the historic Blüthner grand piano by Alessandro Tardino, and Thomas Mann's novel The Elect (1951), to which Christian Sutter lends his voice. For this polymorphic program, which Angélique Greuter specially designed for the festival, she assembled top-class musicians from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and the Basel University of Music, all of whom have an international concert career. EarlyBird promotion valid until September 20, 2026 Participating artists: Ensembles Leones & TEXTUR