Orff: Carmina Burana

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Jader Bignamini presents Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana," one of the most striking choral works of the 20th century. It is based on medieval texts from the Benediktbeuern Abbey, which Orff fashioned into a scenic cantata of marked rhythmic and tonal directness.

The work unfolds a series of contrasting images: from archaic force and dance-like energy to moments of intimacy and irony. Chorus and percussion, supplemented by two pianos and celesta, define the characteristic sound, while recurring motifs connect the various scenes. Between song-like passages, ostinato structures, and pointed solo numbers, a multi-layered dramaturgy emerges, which finds its formal framework in the reappearance of "O Fortuna."