Die Seherin was commissioned by the Nordic Chamber Music Festival in Hillerød for a concert marking the 100th anniversary of the death of the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Rilke's poem Die Blinde (The Blind) serves as the point of departure for Rohloff's piece.
The composer explains:
"The work is scored for soprano and piano quintet. The soprano part was developed in close collaboration with the singer Dénise Beck and tailored specifically to her voice. It explores the full expressive range of her vocal abilities and is highly dramatic and intensely expressive in character.
A central aspect of the work is the interplay between its musical and theatrical dimensions. On two occasions, the soprano steps out of the musical narrative and becomes a speaker, reflecting on and commenting upon the work itself. At the same time, she changes her physical position on stage, creating a clear distinction between her role within the music and her external, commenting perspective. At several points, the instrumental ensemble also participates in brief spoken passages, intertwining sound, language, and theatrical action.
Conceptually, the work engages with one of the central themes in Rilke's poetry: transformation. Rather than focusing on blindness itself, it explores the transition from one state of being to another. As in the poem, an experience that initially appears negative is transformed into one of insight and affirmation. This idea is directly reflected in the musical dramaturgy: the work evolves from an opening of dramatic, almost traumatic intensity toward an increasingly luminous, heightened, and ultimately ecstatic sound world.
It is precisely the synthesis of poetic inspiration, individually conceived vocal writing, theatrical conception, and an evolving musical energy that makes Die Seherin a particularly personal and significant work within my artistic practice."
Nordic Chamber Music Festival takes place in Hillerød 20-24 July. Find more information here.