Iván Fischer once said of Igor Stravinsky that he had found “new sounds, rhythms, harmonies and above all, a very intellectual, witty and humorous new style of music”. This includes the neo-classical ballet music “Jeu de cartes”, which Fischer conducts as the opening work to this programme. György Ligeti’s opera “Le Grand Macabre”, from which Anna-Lena Elbert sings three coloratura arias performed by the head of the “Secret Political Police” entitled “Mysteries of the Macabre”, bristles with black humour and absurdities.

To whom Beethoven wanted to dedicate his Third Symphony, may have dedicated it to, or whose dedication he may have withdrawn remains lost in the mists of time. “Ultimately, a dedication to an imaginary hero cannot be ruled out,” writes the Beethoven House in Bonn succinctly. In any case, the work is still a hit with audiences today, and anyone who wants to can feel like a postmodern hero of everyday life when Iván Fischer interprets the work with the Konzerthausorchester.