Under the leadership of Artistic Director Rolf Gupta, Magma 2002 Berlin provided a world-class showcase for Nordic composers and performers, as well as leading German and international ensembles. The theme of the festival was the contrast between Nordic landscapes and urban life and its aim was to compare and contrast Nordic and continental sensibilities and re-establish Berlin, a city to which Nordic composers and artists have been drawn to for centuries, as a meeting point for Nordic and continental artistic currents.
Performers included the Oslo Philharmonic/Vladimir Ashkenazy, Berlin Philharmonic/ David Robertson, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra/Thomas Dausgaard and Oslo Sinfonietta/Christian Eggen, as well as the Arditti Quartet, Kroumata percussion ensemble, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra and soloists Håkan Hardenberger and Christian Lindberg. Rolf Gupta conducted the Scharoun Ensemble in a programme including works by Hans Abrahamsen, Arne Nordheim, Kaija Saariaho and Bent Sørensen.
