A First of Its Kind: Before Beethoven, no composer had dared to add voices to a symphony. The final movement of the Ninth exploded the rules—bringing soloists and chorus into the orchestral world and forever changing what a symphony could be.

From Silence, a Revolution: Beethoven was profoundly deaf when he composed the Ninth. He never heard it performed, yet the emotional clarity and ambition of the music is unmatched. The Ninth is a testament to artistic vision in the face of unimaginable limitations.

A Global Anthem: The “Ode to Joy” is more than a finale—it’s an idea. Its themes of unity and human dignity have made it a rallying cry at moments of historic change, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the European Union’s official anthem. In this concert, the chorus and orchestra bring that message to life with full force.