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How do we want to live together?

Conversations with artists

Under the title “How do we want to live together?”, the Vienna Musikverein is launching a new series of artist talks on October 1, which will take place throughout the season.
The aim of the series of talks is to talk to artists about their experiences and perspectives on how constructive coexistence with those who think differently is possible – despite all the current social tensions and divisions.

*Click on the picture of the artist to go to the overview page of the respective concert.

For the first time, the Vienna Musikverein is focusing its Artists’ Talks on a common theme in the 2024/25 season.
Under the title “How do we want to live together?”, the 35 concerts will be followed by a discussion about social coexistence in a time of growing conflict: How can we live together with people who disagree, who hold different attitudes, who have different experiences, affiliations and identities?
How can we engage in dialog with those who think differently?

The focus of the discussions is not on simple solutions (which are unlikely to exist), but on the artists’ experiences of successful coexistence between very different people, individuals or groups – both in the personal sphere and in the professional environment in the form of musical projects that focus on constructive coexistence despite tensions.

Portrait photo of Michael Köhlmeier
Portrait photo of Max Simonischek
Portrait photo of Elim Chan
Portrait photo of Harri Stojka
Portrait photo of Vikingur Olafsson
Portrait photo of Marie Jacquot conducting
Portrait photo of Glass Marcano
Ensemble photo of "Die Strottern" with their insturments
Portrait photo of Julia Lacherstorfer from the ensemble Alma
Portrait photo of Marin Alsop
Portrait photo of Klaus Mäkelä conducting
Portrait photo of Yamen Saadi

Many people have the feeling that living together in society with people of different opinions has become more difficult.
Discussions harden quickly, bridges in conversations are no longer crossed, the social “bubbles” mainly keep to themselves.
Tensions are rising, groups are drifting apart, opinions are becoming more extreme and debates more heated.
The coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the enormous rise in inflation and the cost of living, the war in Israel and Gaza – all of this has given rise to strong opinions and often positions that are difficult or impossible to reconcile.
Last but not least, this has also been reflected in election results across Europe.
Or in the social media, with increasingly polarizing, enormously influential forces.
– So how can we live together despite the tensions?

How does that work in our time?
How can we live together with people who have different opinions?
Who hold different attitudes, who have different experiences, affiliations and identities?
How can we engage in dialog with those who think differently?

Five mdw students with violins at a concert
Portrait photo of Petr Popelka
Portrait photo of Riccardo Muti
Portrait photo of Cornelius Obonya
Portrait photo of Sir András Schiff
Portrait photo of Rudolf Buchbinder
Group photo of the Ensemble Federspiel with their instruments
Portrait photo of Julia Stemberger
Portrait photo of Gabriel Prokofiev
Portrait photo of Daniel Froschauer
Portrait photo of Iván Fischer
Portrait photo of Jewgenij Kissin

We would like to talk about this with our artists at the Musikverein.
And they ask: not for simple solutions, of course, because there can be no such thing.
But: about experiences they have had of very different people, individuals or groups living together successfully.
For example, experiences from special professional or musical projects that focused on people living together well, or personal experiences from their own biography, background and individual history.

The aim is to create a large, free panorama through all the conversations with the artists throughout the season: From diverse, individual insights, contributions, opinions, experiences and perspectives on the question of how we can live together.
Despite all social tensions and divisions.
A series of talks at the Vienna Musikverein.

Portrait photo of Julian Rachlin
Portrait photo of Patricia Aulitzky
Portrait photo of Corinna Harfouch
Portrait photo of Michael Maertens
Portrait photo of Lahav Shani
Portrait photo of Mario Formenti
Portrait photo of Elīna Garanča
Portrait photo of Patricia Kopatchinskaja
Portrait photo of Franz Welser-Möst
Photo of Lorenzo Viotti during an interview with microphone
© Wolf-Dieter Grabner

Contemporary music

© istockphoto.com/MicroStockHub

How do we want to live together?

Arnold Schönberg Center, Vienna

Colossal sounds

© Julia Wesely

Strong relationships

Archive, Library and Collections of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna

Fine and fragrant

© Felix Broede

Suction effect

© Julia Wesely

Simply conduct

© Deutsche Grammophon - Andreas Hechenberger

With charisma and temperament

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