Carl Orff: CATULLI CARMINA / CARMINA BURANA

Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 8:00 PM (Rain date: June 18)

Margaret Island Open-Air Theatre

Running time: 150 minutes (with 1 intermission)

When the ancient cry of "O Fortuna" resounds, the audience will know instantly: they have arrived for an exceptional evening!

Elemental forces, fierce rhythms, mischievous playfulness, and sweeping desires at the Margaret Island Theatre's special concert, where Carl Orff's best-known masterpiece, Carmina Burana, will be performed accompanied by a symphonic orchestra and choir. The uniqueness of the concert is further enhanced by the performance of the epoch-making German composer's rarely played yet all the more exciting work, Catulli Carmina – a musical delicacy that is almost never heard elsewhere.

After his early, Impressionist-inspired compositions, Orff turned increasingly toward the magic of rhythm, the power of pulsating repetitions, and the poetical nature of ancient texts. One of the pinnacles of this artistic period is Carmina Burana, which is based on Latin and Old High German student songs as a celebration of spring, wine, and love. Its world premiere was held in Frankfurt on June 8, 1937, and the work has since conquered the world's concert halls.

The second piece in the series, Catulli Carmina, is even bolder and more elemental than Carmina Burana. The orchestra consists almost exclusively of percussion instruments, and the sound of the choir is even more sensual, even more passionate. Orff created a unique world by combining the poems of the ancient Roman poet Catullus with his own texts. Although the piece was originally intended as a stage work, today it is mostly performed in concert form.

Catulli Carmina tells the story of the young man in love, Catullus, who falls passionately in love with the unfaithful Lesbia. The poems selected for the cantata lead the listener through the beautiful and painful stages of the relationship. The tenor and soprano soloists personify Catullus and Lesbia; most of the work's text is based on the poet's surviving poems, loosely connected to the real, turbulent affair between Catullus and Clodia.

Two iconic compositions of European music history meet on this summer evening – a rare occasion to catch a glimpse into Orff's complete artistic world.