Second Pierre Boulez Biennale Held Amid Pandemic at Philharmonie de Paris

The second edition of the Pierre Boulez Biennale took place at the Philharmonie de Paris under pandemic restrictions, with a first closed-door phase from January 19 to 23, 2021, and a second phase from June 28 to 30, 2021. Broadcasts were available on Philharmonie Live and France Musique. Despite the lockdown, the Philharmonie maintained the event to honor Boulez's legacy of creative vertigo. The program included a concert by the Orchestre de Paris on January 20, conducted by Klaus Mäkelä, featuring Boulez's 'Le Soleil des eaux' alongside works by Debussy, Ravel, and Messiaen. Pianists Dimitri Vassilakis and Hideki Nagano performed 'Structures pour piano, Book II' on January 19. Rare works such as 'Initiale' (1987, commissioned for the Menil Collection) and 'Cummings ist der Dichter' were presented. The biennale also featured the French premiere of Francesco Filidei's 'Requiem' and a tribute to violist Christophe Desjardins, who died in February 2020, with performances by his daughter Louise Desjardins and works by Zad Moultaka, Luciano Berio, and Céline Steiner.