The Mad King's Summer

The concert The Mad King’s Summer combines the world premiere of Hyeokjae Kim’s new work King of Summers with Filidei’s I Funerali dell’Anarchico Serantini and Maxwell Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King. The Ensemble Coincidence and bass-baritone Harald Hieronymus Hein present an immersive performance that artistically reflects on the duality of rationality and madness as well as socially critical themes.

The performance begins with a performance installation in which the audience is immersed in an improvised soundscape as soon as they enter the venue. The musicians are scattered throughout the room before forming an ensemble. Together, they present the world premiere of King of Summers, a work by young composer Hyeokjae Kim. The space becomes a stage, blurring the traditional boundaries between performers and spectators. The audience is actively involved in the musical and physical narrative.

This is followed by Francesco Filidei’s I Funerali dell’Anarchico Serantini. The work reflects on the violent death of an anarchist in Italy in 1972—a politically charged, physical-performative piece that does without instruments. Six musicians use only their bodies, masks, and gestures to unfold the dramatic course of events. Filidei’s work opens up the space emotionally and thematically for Eight Songs for a Mad King.

The concert The Mad King’s Summer is made possible by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

Further information:
ensemblecoincidence.com

Dates

February 20 & 21, 2026
Theaterhaus Graz