Under the baton of Philippe Herreweghe, the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées and Collegium Vocale Gent perform two timeless masterpieces: Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 Eroica and Cherubini's Requiem. A programme that offers a reflection on the themes of greatness and memory, heroism and sacredness, spanning the height of Classicism and the dawn of Romanticism. A musical dialogue that continues to resonate with extraordinary relevance.

The concert opens with Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, a work that marks a turning point in the history of symphonic music. Composed between 1802 and 1804, it represents the transition from the classical symphonic form to a revolutionary conception of thematic development and dramatic architecture. Initially dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, Beethoven later withdrew the dedication after Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor. In the second part, Cherubini's Requiem, composed in 1816 to commemorate Louis XVI, offers a counterpoint to Beethoven's heroic vision with its austere and solemn writing. Philippe Herreweghe's interpretation, conducting the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées and the Collegium Vocale Gent, ensures a performance that respects the performance practices of the time, paying tribute to the innovative power of these two monumental works. The concert thus takes the form of a dialogue between the exaltation of human greatness and the awareness of the transience of life.