Under the motto 'NEXT:matters!' Classical:NEXT opened its doors last night, on Tuesday, 17 May 2022 in Staatsoper Hannover with an impressive line up. This year's mission-statement supports inclusion and promotes collaboration to accelerate positive change in the classical and art music sector, which also reflects the overall mission of Classical:NEXT.
Rewatch the Opening
See Pictures from Classical:NEXT 2022
The evening began with a word of welcome from the Lord Mayor of Hannover, Belit Onay, welcoming the new partnership between Classical:NEXT and UNESCO City of Music Hannover:
"In this first year, the largest global gathering of professionals in all areas of classical and art music returns to Germany and can rely on established and unique structures here in Hannover: not only as an international trade fair and congress city but also as a UNESCO City of Music. The Classical:NEXT is basically coming home."
Belit Onay, Lord Mayor of Hannover
The director of Staatsoper Hannover, Laura Berman; general manager of Classical:NEXT, Fabienne Krause and Roger Wilson, director of operations at Black Lives in Music, also sent their welcome greetings to all delegates and guests from Hannover, followed by a special opening performance.
"The UK has always had a strong connection to Classical:NEXT, so it is with great pleasure that we are able to open our 10th edition together. And in that spirit of working together - beating the barriers of Brexit and the pandemic - this year’s opening 'NEXT:matters!' was put together to support inclusion and promote collaboration to accelerate positive change."
Fabienne Krause, general manager Classical:NEXT
Building a bridge between the UK and local Hannover scenes, the opening concert celebrated the concept of artistic collaboration and the global language of music. The programme included world premieres of two Black British composers, internationally acclaimed Ayanna Witter-Johnson and Jason Yarde, and two pieces of Maximilian Guth (Asambura Ensemble). This excellent set was presented by Colourful UK (feat. Laura Ayoub), Jason Yarde himself and the Hannover-based Asambura Ensemble. The name 'Asambura' is an anagram of the Tanzanian Usambara mountains and stands for looking beyond the limits of one’s own horizon.
NEXT:matters! was a celebration of the wider cultural contribution to classical music that has been ever-present but largely without acknowledgement, It's a musical testimony to the power of music to triumph over physical boundaries despite political hurdles.
"Given the challenges the industry has faced in the last two years due to the pandemic, the event is more important than ever in bringing the industry together in one place. We're excited to help Classical:NEXT celebrate its 10th birthday, here's to the next ten years!"
Roger Wilson, director of operations, Black Lives in Music
Composer and guitarist Marc Sinan rounded off the evening with a Keynote Speech presenting five and a half thesis describing his utopia of how the world of music, opera and theatre would look like if it would reflect the diversity of current societies.
article posted by:Gideon Elfgen, Piranha Arts