Photo : Mathias Depardon
Transfigured Nights
Prepare for a profound journey through Austrian musical history, bridging the stormy intensity of Haydn with the raw, emotional depth of Schoenberg. This orchestral masterclass offers a rare chance to hear some of the most daring compositions ever written for strings and piano.
Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris 1st)
About
The Théâtre du Châtelet hosts Nuits transfigurées on Monday, November 16, 2026, for an evening dedicated to the richness of Austrian musical history. From 20:00 to 22:00, the Orchestre de chambre de Paris performs works by Haydn, Mozart, and Schoenberg, spanning from the Sturm und Drang movement to the early twentieth century. Tickets range from 5 € to 45 €. This concert is designed to be fully accessible, with specific accommodations provided for blind and visually impaired audience members, ensuring everyone can enjoy this exploration of symphonic masterpieces in the heart of Paris.
Schoenberg's music is where one least expects it. Admittedly, it answers point-by-point to the founding myth of modernity, but it also constructs its own breakdown. His attempt at rebellion against the system is as important as the modern system itself. What it resists is as unifying as what it preserves.
Danielle Cohen-Levinas,From Joseph Haydn to Arnold Schoenberg, via Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, this program offers a look at Austrian music through three spotlights on key moments in its history. It is also a nod to the history of the Orchestre de chambre de Paris, as it has been nearly half a century since Symphony No. 49, known as "La Passione," entered its repertoire at the initiative of Daniel Barenboim, who conducted it in 1977... While under the protection of Prince Esterházy, Joseph Haydn, himself in charge of an orchestra, was able to compose and experiment. With "La Passione," premiered in 1768, he plunged into the pre-Romantic trend of Sturm und Drang (translated as "storm and stress" or "passion"), thereby giving the symphonic genre new legitimacy. Completed in 1791, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's final Piano Concerto plays on the complementarity of the soloist with the orchestra and opens new perspectives, where modulations and digressions announce Romanticism. This is the very same heritage Arnold Schoenberg inherited when he set to music a poem by Richard Dehmel, in which a woman confesses to the man who loves her that she is expecting a child by another. A tonal work that borrows as much from Johannes Brahms as from Richard Wagner, Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), written initially for string sextet in 1899, was transcribed for string orchestra in 1917, then revised in 1943 by the composer himself, and today it counts among the masterpieces of music from the first half of the twentieth century.
Program
Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 49 in F minor, Hob. I: 49, known as "La Passione"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat major, KV 595
Arnold Schoenberg
Verklärte Nacht, op. 4
Our take on this event
On November 16, 2026, the Théâtre du Châtelet presents a curated program exploring the evolution of the Austrian musical tradition. From 20:00 to 22:00, the Orchestre de chambre de Paris takes the stage to perform three significant works: Haydn's Symphony No. 49, known as 'La Passione', Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27, and Schoenberg's 'Verklärte Nacht' (Transfigured Night), op. 4. Each piece highlights a pivotal moment in history, showcasing the transition toward romanticism and the innovations of the early twentieth century.
The event welcomes all music lovers and ensures inclusivity through dedicated access for blind or visually impaired attendees. Located in the 1st arrondissement, the venue offers tickets priced between 5 € and 45 €. Guests are invited to witness this historical musical dialogue that connects the deep emotional intensity of Haydn to the complex, transfigured harmonies of Schoenberg.
