Meny

Showcasing the works of Shostakovich, DSCH is a musical experience fusing theatre, lighting and visual elements to challenge the traditional concert form.

​​

The Visual Concert
Imagine a musical experience where sound, theatre, choreography, and striking visual elements flow seamlessly together to create something entirely new – concert theatre. This performance challenges our traditional ideas of what a concert can be.

When it premiered at the Oslo Opera House in 2023, it quickly became the talk of the town – and tickets vanished. Critics were equally enthusiastic. Aksel Tollåli wrote in Scenekunst.no:
"Fortunately, the Chamber Orchestra shows that it’s possible to do new things with old music and end up with a mutually enriching result."

​

 Emotional Tableaux
There is no linear narrative in this performance. Instead, the music's emotional essence takes center stage, expressed through a series of vivid tableaux. Musicians move through projections and scenic elements – including suitcases and crates – dressed in costumes reminiscent of the World War II era. Constantly shifting formations, they perform everything by heart. A musical thread runs through Shostakovich’s many voices, forming a powerful story told entirely through sound.

​

"Phenomenal"
The Times

​​​

Double Meaning

Shostakovich's life was marked by the tension between artistic integrity and the demands of the Soviet regime. A master of coded expression, he managed to assert his musical voice even under oppression – often navigating the fine line between irony and sincerity, between humor and sorrow. In doing so, he spoke directly to those who were willing to listen.

Whether grappling with darkness or light, Shostakovich’s music speaks to us with uncompromising emotional power. Throughout his career, he embedded a musical signature into many of his works: DSCH – derived from the German transliteration of his name, Dmitri SCHostakowitsch, translated into the notes D, E-flat (Es), C, and B (H). His String Quartet No. 8, written after a visit to war-ravaged Dresden, is built entirely on this four-note motif. The work offers a profound glimpse into his internal struggle – and has become one of his most beloved compositions, especially in Rudolf Barshai’s string orchestra arrangement, known as the Chamber Symphony.

​

90 minutes of by-heart playing with movement from some of the world's best players.

​David Nice, The arts desk

​

For years, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra has been redefining the classical concert experience – performing by memory, using lighting, choreography, and scenography to create immersive events. In this concert theatre performance, everything comes together in a singular, moving whole.

This is not a concert you want to miss.

​