An opera that takes the audience from nothing to existence: where do we come from? Where are we heading? How and why did it all begin? Questions about the beginning and the infinite nature of existence have kept humankind occupied for thousands of years. The search for answers provides comfort, expands knowledge and technology and sometimes brings people to the brink of despair. All these elements can be found in the opera "Creazione/Creation" by Gloria Bruni, which will be performed on 1 September at 6 p.m. in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin. This performance is part of the German celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the international research centre CERN near Geneva. The concert explores the tension between science and faith and embarks on a musical journey of research into the origins of our universe. Bruni's "Creazione" is a great musical tribute to the beginnings and the human urge for knowledge. It will be performed by the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Vocalconsort under the direction of Wolf Kerschek, supported by a choir of scientists from DESY and Universität Hamburg. The Berlin Memorial Church was deliberately chosen as a place of remembrance for the performance of "Creazione".

DESY, Universität Hamburg, and the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe dedicate this concert to CERN, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. CERN (Conseil européen pour la recherche nucléaire), with its 23 member states, embodies cross-national co-operation for the joint acquisition of knowledge like no other research institute. The university, DESY, and Quantum Universe work closely together with CERN.

The Hamburg singer and composer Gloria Bruni, daughter of a physicist, has always been fascinated by the origins and infinity of existence. In her music, she constantly strives for higher truths, searching for links between faith and knowledge, for connections between science and culture. Her opera "Creazione/Creation, Fragments" deals with these timeless questions through music. One highlight of her work is the first ever setting of a physical formula for orchestra and choir – the Lagrange formula, which attempts to describe the behaviour of the fundamental forces of nature in a single formula. Bruni was inspired to write this opera through intensive discussions with particle physicist Isabell Melzer-Pellmann, head of the DESY-CMS research group, and her collaboration with designer and set designer Peter Schmidt. "The search for redemption and the value of being can only be expressed in music," says Schmidt.

The premiere was enthusiastically received by the audience in Venice in October 2022 in the traditional church of San Fantin. "Creazione/Creation" was performed in one Hamburg's main churches, St Catherine’s, in April 2023. Now it will be performed again in an iconic building in the heart of the German capital Berlin, interpreted by the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra and the Vocalconsort Berlin under the direction of Wolf Kerschek. The concert will be preceded by an introductory dialogue between representatives of faith, science, and culture. DESY was the patron of the "Creation" concert in Venice and continued this collaboration for the performance in Hamburg. With the performance in Berlin and the connection to fundamental research in the huge CERN accelerator tunnel, this piece is now drawing further circles. A performance at CERN itself is planned for spring 2025.

The performance is just one part of the celebrations to mark CERN's 70th anniversary. From 2 to 4 September, there will be an exhibition, short science shows, and hands-on workshops at the Futurium in Berlin. On 2 September, there will be a talk-show like event where people with a connection to CERN will talk about life there – from a student to a former Director General. The official ceremony will also take place at the Futurium on 3 September. In addition, during the week of 16 September, events, lectures, and exhibitions will be held throughout Germany.

GLORIA BRUNI

Gloria Bruni, German composer and singer, is characterised by very different musical formats, each of which is unmistakably marked by her characteristic signature and stylistic versatility. Her most important works include: "Requiem a Roma", which premiered in Rome at the Vatican in 2000 and was subsequently performed in Poland, Germany, Austria, Belarus, Palestine, and Israel. Her "Symphony No. 1 - Ring Parable" premiered in Hamburg and was subsequently performed in Istanbul. The musical "The Thorn Birds", with a libretto by the original Australian author Colleen McCullough, premiered in Wales and subsequently toured the UK. The opera "Pinocchio" has already been translated into five languages. In Germany and Italy, in Minsk and, since last year, also in Lausanne, Bruni's "Pinocchio" has become part of the opera world's programme. For Gloria Bruni, music in all its forms of expression is a universal language that can be understood and felt by everyone, with the human being always at the centre of her universe.

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAMBURG

The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra has been the resident orchestra of the Laeiszhalle since 2017 and lends the traditional concert venue a very special artistic profile. With their sophisticated, yet always accessible programme, they inspire audiences and critics far beyond the borders of the city.

VOCALCONSORT BERLIN

Vocalconsort Berlin is one of the most highly regarded and versatile vocal ensembles in Germany. Founded in 2003, the choir works with various conductors, but above all with permanent artistic partners such as Daniel Reuss, Folkert Uhde and the Komische Oper Berlin.

Vocalconsort Berlin is regularly present in the music capitals and at the major festivals of Europe with various works ranging from Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo" under René Jacobs to Haydn's "Four Seasons" under Christopher Moulds and Bernstein's "A Quiet Place" under Kent Nagano to Peter Ruzicka's "Islands, Rimless" under the direction of the composer. The Vocalconsort Berlin has also played and continues to play a key role in many successful staged productions by Sasha Waltz & Guests.

CERN

CERN uses the largest and most complex scientific instruments in the world to study the basic building blocks of matter - elementary particles. Subatomic particles are brought to collision at almost the speed of light at the Large Hadron Collider LHC, the world's largest particle accelerator. From this, researchers find out how the particles interact with each other, which gives us insights into the fundamental laws of nature and thus a better understanding of the universe.

Founded in 1954, the CERN laboratory is located on the French-Swiss border near Geneva. It was one of the first European joint ventures and today has 23-member states. Germany is one of the founding members and is the largest contributor to the CERN budget.

The concert is made possible by the support and commitment of the following partners:

- DESY

- Universität Hamburg

- Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe

- Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation

- Friends and Sponsors of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra

- CERN

The performance venue

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is one of Berlin's central landmarks. Its more than 125-year history spans from an imperial national monument of the late 19th century to an international memorial against war and destruction, with the ruins of its tower destroyed in the Second World War. The new octagonal church is used for church services and events.

"Creazione / Creation, Fragments"

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Berlin

1 September, 6 pm

Conductor: Wolf Kerschek

Hamburg Symphony Orchestra

Vocalconsort Berlin

Tickets via Reservix:

Online at http://creazione.reservix.de  or

by telephone on 0761 / 888499 99 (daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) 

Further information: www.gloriabruni.com, cern70.de