Empathy for the Devil

Is a negative counterforce necessary for good to take shape? The necessity of this construct is put up for discussion—not to justify it, but to reveal how good only becomes conceivable in the shadow of its antithesis.

Baroque and contemporary compositions, opera arias, and pop songs form the basis for an evening that examines the multifaceted fascination and unease of evil. As a pathetically ironic nod to the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy,” the performance addresses the role of that power personified in the devil, which, according to Goethe, “always wills evil / and always creates good.”

Originally planned as an orchestral version for the 200th anniversary of the Konzerthaus Berlin, the chamber version unites a wealth of diabolical material from literature and music into a multifaceted encounter with evil. Given the current world situation, it goes without saying that, in addition to private pacts with the devil and the temptation of deadly sins, political alliances and apocalyptic prophecies are also involved.