KBS Symphony Orchestra Performs Mahler Symphony No. 3 for the First Time in 7 Years

On the 26th at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall

The KBS Symphony Orchestra announced on the 2nd that it will perform Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 3 at its 802nd regular concert, held at 5 p.m. on the 26th at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center.

Pietari Inkinen, music director of the KBS Symphony Orchestra, will conduct, and mezzo-soprano Oka von der Damerau will participate as the soloist. Damerau has played leading roles on major opera stages such as the Bavarian State Opera and the Bayreuth Festival, and has collaborated with the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. The Goyang City Choir, Seoul Motet Choir, and Goyang City Children’s Choir will also join the stage.

Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 is the longest and most emotionally rich among Mahler’s nine symphonies. Composed of six movements spanning about 100 minutes, this work expresses a profound exploration of human experience and the mysteries of existence.

The first movement begins with powerful horn sounds, capturing the essence of life’s joy and complexity while hinting at Mahler’s personal anxieties. The second and third movements beautifully unfold the songs of flowers blooming on the meadows and birds in the deep primeval forest. The fourth movement features an alto solo that sings of the dark night world, the realm of death and the beyond, conveying deep solitude and mystery. This movement quotes a passage from Nietzsche’s "Thus Spoke Zarathustra." The fifth movement is composed of shimmering images and angelic voices, depicting a heavenly realm filled with joy and wonder. Children’s choir, women’s choir, and alto solo blend with woodwinds, harp, and glockenspiel to express a clear and beautiful celestial world full of delight. The final sixth movement expresses the eternal force that unites the universe, gently concluding the piece with a slow adagio breath.

This performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 by the KBS Symphony Orchestra marks the first time in seven years since the 714th regular concert in 2017, conducted by Yoel Levi.

Tickets can be reserved through Interpark and the Seoul Arts Center website.