Overview

The curse of the ninth — the belief that a composer’s ninth symphony is destined to be their last — weighed heavily on Mahler’s mind as he neared the milestone, even going so far as to compose a “Tenth Symphony,” Das Lied von der Erde, after his eighth in an effort to creatively circumvent the curse. Famously, Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner, Dvořák, and Spohr all passed away prior to completing a tenth symphony, and in the end Mahler succumbed to illness shortly after finishing his ninth as well. Mahler’s “farewell to the world” serves as an incredible summation to a masterful career, quoting many of his previous compositions in a work brimming with anger, hysteria, and nostalgia in equal measure, before giving way to a calm acceptance in the finale. Join Music Director Brett Mitchell and your Colorado Symphony for a powerful performance teeming with emotion.