While living in London, Joseph Haydn was so impressed by the magnificent Handel oratorios that he decided to try his hand at composing in this genre himself. The libretto for his oratorio The Creation, written by Baron Gottfried van Swieten, is based on the biblical story of the creation of the world in seven days. Haydn experienced the process of composing as a deeply religious one, and he often prayed to God for strength to complete the work. The oratorio, which captivated the audience from its very first performance, is considered one of the first universal works in music, suitable for both a wide audience and music connoisseurs.
At the 73rd Ljubljana Festival, the oratorio will be performed by the Spanish theater group La Fura dels Baus, known for their genre openness, stage innovation, and blurring of the boundaries between performers and the audience. Director Carlus Padrissa, a long-time collaborator of the Ljubljana Festival, co-founded the group in 1979 and gained worldwide fame with their performance at the opening event of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.
The conducting of the Symphony Orchestra of the Alicante ADDA Auditorium and the Choir of the Slovenian Philharmonic will be led by the versatile maestro Josep Vicent, who has been the musical director of La Fura dels Baus since 2014. He has received numerous music awards and is an ambassador for the Foundation for the Culture of Peace. The vocal soloists will be soprano Alba Fernández-Cano, who made her debut in Moscow in the role of Gabriel in Haydn’s The Creation, tenor Víctor Sordo, a specialist in early music, and baritone Toni Marsol, known for his roles in the Italian opera repertoire.
