


DANÍEL BJARNASON’S NEW WORK PREMIERES WITH GUSTAVO GIMENO AND TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
2/6/2023
“Can a machine truly be alive? Can it have a sense of self? And if so, how do we relate to it?”
Daníel Bjarnason
The first part of Daníel Bjarnason’s trilogy for orchestra receives its world premiere by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Gimeno from 7 – 10 June. Commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra with Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Helsinki Philharmonic, the work will be written over the coming three seasons.
Entitled I Want To Be Alive: Echo / Narcissus, the work draws inspiration from questions about the nature of consciousness and what it means to be alive, with Bjarnason considering AI’s place in society. Echo / Narcissus is inspired by the myth of the same name, portraying the longing for connection and recognition that lies at the heart of human consciousness.
The programme also includes a new work from Eliot Britton entitled Des(re)pair: Celebration Prelude, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.24 presented by Víkingur Ólafsson.