Pôle Nord

The NEC pays tribute to Kaija Saariaho, who passed away on 2 June 2023, having left a powerful, poetic mark on the world of creating music.

"Maa [earth in english] is based on the idea of changes and transitions from one state to another - doors and gates opening, falls, water crossings. These themes offer interesting possibilities for musical metamorphoses and paths from one material to another," explains the composer. Each of the seven parts of this work - originally conceived as a ballet - has its own colour. The composer subtly explores the various instrumental possibilities, from electronics alone to the use of a full orchestra in the final movement. The exploratory listener, passing through several labyrinths or windows, enters forests, imaginary lands or even aeolian worlds and navigates to the heart of aquatic or mineral matter.