WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln gives world premiere of TITUS

Overlapping layers of strings and percussion cut to the very bone—incisive, yet immense. Shakespeare’s *Titus Andronicus*—retold in emotional tones—pours into the Philharmonie as a drama of sheer violence. In just sixteen minutes, Geoffrey Gordon’s commissioned work distills the emotional extremes of this Elizabethan tragedy into pure sound. Across six sections, a musical psychogram unfolds—marked by tragedy, vengeance, and inner turmoil. Explosions of colossal sound collide with fragile, almost frozen moments. Bursts and abrupt halts—yet the musical thread never snaps completely. It remains compelling and oppressive, offering no moment of cathartic release. A world premiere that truly resonates.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN