Kreutzer vs. Kreutzer

Richard Tognetti Artistic Director and Lead Violin
Samuel West Actor
Laura Wade Playwright

JANÁCEK (arr. Tognetti) String Quartet No.1, The Kreutzer Sonata
BEETHOVEN (arr. Tognetti) Violin Sonata in A, Kreutzer

In 1803 Beethoven wrote a violin sonata for George Bridgetower, but threw out the dedication after they fell out over a mutual love interest. Instead it has become known as the Kreutzer Sonata. Maybe Leo Tolstoy sensed this latent sexual tension when he put the work at the centre of his psychological drama in which a man kills his wife and her lover after a performance of the Kreutzer Sonata leads him to the realisation that they are having an affair. Janácek took Tolstoy's short story as a starting point for a string quartet - but the pressure of his own ambiguous extra-marital relationships made him side with the "tormented woman" of Tolstoy's story rather than the cuckolded husband.

Since its first performance the "Kreutzer Sonata" has been an indicator of passion, intrigue, and sexual jealousy. In a world premiere performance, 100 years after Tolstoy's death, the ACO presents a new dramatic treatment which ties the works together, shedding light on the genesis of these artistic masterpieces and the connections and conversations between them. Written by rising young British playwright Laura Wade (Posh, Alice), starring Samuel West, and featuring the ACO in full performances of Richard Tognetti's revealing arrangements of Beethoven and Janácek's works, this is a musical and theatrical event not to be missed.

NB. The Melbourne performances will be at Melbourne Town Hall