Missa in tempore belli

As one of the pioneers of historical performance practice, René Jacobs has put together a truly magnificent programme for the opening concert of the 66th Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy. Being the conductor of one of the best choirs in the world, he is in charge of an ideal ensemble to rediscover classical repertoire, while giving the audience the rare chance of experiencing the music played on period instruments. This programme of masterpieces has a double reference to current world affairs and the events surrounding the Festival: the Russia-Ukraine war with Joseph Haydn’s remarkable Missa in tempore belli and the reference to the Viennese focus of the 2022 edition by Mozart’s Requiem, which will be performed in a new version created by the young Frenchman Pierre-Henri Dutron.