The Night of the Flying Horses

The Night of the Flying Horses is a programme of music that has enchanted and energized us for centuries. Centered around the music of Osvaldo Golijov, an Argentinian contemporary composer with international roots and multiple influences, The Night of the Flying Horses explores moments of wonder and melancholy, interspersed with frenetic, electrifying cavalcades of sound. With works spanning over five centuries, this show features music by Sapo Perapaskero from the band Taraf de Haidouks - a group emblematic of the Roma folklore’s vitality in Romania - and the Baroque refinement of French composer François Couperin.

 

Osvaldo Golijov and Sapo Perapaskero were first brought together by the Kronos Quartet. Reconnecting with his Eastern European origins, Golijov continued to collaborate with Taraf, even "stealing" a theme from them for his Night of the Flying Horses, a wild gallop that gives its name to our show. Inspired by Golijov’s approach, we also arranged some pieces from the Romanian band for this show. Couperin, on the other hand, was one of Golijov’s great inspirations. The Argentinian composer pays tribute to Couperin in his work Tenebrae, as well as in ​Lúa Descolorida, where he takes us on "a slow motion ride on a cosmic horse".

 

Even beyond the relationships that link these three universes - direct quotations and shared emotions - there is a musical freedom that incites this gathering of music. Deep pain, sublime beauty, melancholy, and passionate urgency interweave to create an anthology of musical works whose universal scope brings us timely comfort.

 

This show premiered at Nomad Live in Montreal in March 2019 and toured over the following years in the United States and Canada. It was also the subject of a film-concert produced in 2021.