STEGREIF freeEROICA
Beethoven’s Third Symphony was itself an act of artistic courage. Originally dedicated to Napoleon, Beethoven changed his position when Napoleon crowned himself emperor. Admiration for the revolutionary gave way to distance from the ruler – and the symphony became a work about freedom, new beginnings and moral resolve.
Stegreif takes this spirit seriously and carries the “Eroica” radically forward. The improvising symphony orchestra performs without scores, without a conductor and without fixed seating. The musicians move through the space, respond to one another and combine Beethoven’s music with improvisation, recomposition and new sonic perspectives.
The result is not an irreverent break with the original, but a vivid engagement with its revolutionary force. On German Unity Day, the “Eroica” becomes an invitation to question even what feels familiar – boldly, freely and with immediacy.
Participants
- Stegreif – The Improvising Symphony Orchestra
Programme
With freeEroica, Stegreif transforms Beethoven’s Third Symphony into a thrilling journey through revolutions and new beginnings.
Without sheet music, conductor, or chairs — but with improvisation, recomposition, and ever-changing formations throughout the space — the Eroica becomes a surprisingly new experience.
Subject to change