From Tod Machover’s Facebook page:
“What a remarkable premiere yesterday of A SYMPHONY FOR LUCERNE at the LUCERNE FESTIVAL. We gave a pre-intermission “Making Of…” presentation and then played the new work. Matthias Pintscher and theLUCERNE FESTIVAL Academy Orchestra played brilliantly, beautifully. All of the Lucerne performers who we invited to participate – Der Chor Luzern, the Kinderchor des Schulhauses Grenzhof, organist Wolfgang Sieber, and the explosive Barfuessfäger Guggenmusik band – all contributed to the quite diverse but (I think:) integrated portrait of this gorgeous, delicate, complex and characterful city. Electronics and acoustics blended just right (thanks to Ben Bloomberg’s perfect mixing), pros and amateurs complemented each other as I had imagined, mosaic-like textures and sweeping melodies co-existed and supported each other, and the public responded with a warm, loud and long standing ovation. It felt like everyone’s contribution was appreciated, which is what one always hopes. The fact that a high-quality filming was done by Oliver Becker and his team means that the work – and this special premiere – can be shared with all, quite soon I think. Pretty much a perfect premiere, and a reminder of why we do these crazy projects – to bring people together in unexpected, powerful and indelible ways.”
Opera of the Future 