• The Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra presents the Viking Roots concert on Saturday, June 14, conducted by German conductor Henrik Schaefer. 
  • The program includes Helena Munktell's Scandinavian piece Bränningar and a unique version of Schubert's Unfinished Symphony. 
  • Austrian baritone Günter Haumer will perform Mahler's Rückert Lieder cycle in an evening of introspection and emotional power. 

 The Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra will offer one of the most evocative musical experiences of its Roots season, with a program that interweaves history, introspection, and the majesty of Northern European soundscapes. Viking Roots, which will be presented next Saturday, June 14, at the Metropolitan Theater, will be conducted by maestro Henrik Schaefer and will feature baritone Günter Haumer as guest soloist. 

HENRIK SHAEFER: 

The repertoire offers a journey through Germanic sensibility, opening with Bränningar, a work by Swedish composer Helena Munktell that evokes the waves of the North Sea, followed by Gustav Mahler's celebrated Rückert Lieder cycle. In these songs, Haumer explores themes such as connection with nature, love, and the inner life, in a deeply emotional performance that engages the orchestra and audience. 

One of the most anticipated moments will be the performance of Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8, known as the "Unfinished Symphony," with a special presentation designed by Schaefer. Unlike other versions, this one features only music written by Schubert himself, including his song "An die Musik" and a final movement that many musicologists consider a possible closing piece by the composer. 

Both Schaefer and Haumer emphasize the program's symbolic richness and its connection to their own roots. The conductor, with a long career in Scandinavia, underscores the importance of rediscovering underperformed repertoires like Munktell's, while Haumer emphasizes the universal value of Mahler and Schubert as vehicles for exploring human emotion in its purest form. 

GUNTER HAUMER:

The performance is Saturday, June 14th at 6:00 pm at the Metropolitan Theater. Tickets are available at LaTiquetera.com  

This is the fifth concert of the 2025 season, a season titled Roots, which pays homage to our roots: the origin of who we are as a community, as individuals, and as a symphonic tradition. This series of concerts will explore not only music but also the cultures, histories, and ties that strengthen our identity as a society.