The compositions of this program thematize poetry, scenes and feelings that take place in secret. Harrison Birtwistle’s imaginary theater is based on Robert Graves’ poem Secret Theatre, which concludes with the following verses: “We mount the stage as though at random, boldly ring down the curtain, then dance out our love…” Stefan Wirth uses a similar image in Mnemosyne: at the center of the composition, which traces the drama in space, is Friedrich Hölderlin’s poem of the same name.

Martyna Kosecka describes her latest piece as a battle of emotions. In it, fear and destruction emerge from hiding. Finally, Sebastian Meyer draws attention to the Portuguese lyricist António Botto in Songs of Love, whose texts describe aspects of homosexual love, longing, secrets and powerlessness in fine and subtle images.