Inspiration: Labyrinths

Welcome from all of us at the Queen Silvia Concert Hall

The artistic team at the Queen Silvia Concert Hall is delighted to present the second full season of concerts. The overarching theme of the 2025/26 season is Labyrinths. 

The modern idea of the labyrinth begins in ancient Crete, where the Minotaur (half-man, half-bull) was caged in a seemingly unnavigable maze. The hero Theseus solved the puzzle, aided by Ariadne’s red thread. His journey into the heart of darkness represents a pathway through confusion towards clarity and purpose. Similarly, in the sacred spaces of medieval cathedrals, mazes were etched into stone floors to encourage pilgrims to embark on personal odysseys that mirror music’s ability to steer listeners and players alike through crescendos and decrescendos on the road to self-examination, emotional release and self-discovery.

The complex intricacy of a labyrinth recalls a symphony composed of countless notes that come together to produce melodic paths. Every intersection is like a musical phrase in which dissonance ultimately resolves into harmony. Navigating a maze therefore mirrors the steps taken by a composer who creates music, where the search for meaning yields unexpected revelations, just as a dramatic chord progression can transform an entire piece. 

As in ancient Greece, labyrinths from diverse cultures past and present symbolise the quest for the divine and the irresistible pull of self-exploration – pilgrimages that resonate with universal rhythms of life and creativity. The labyrinth is a metaphor for the transformative journey of self-discovery that invites us all to find a unique personal voice amidst a maze of complexities.

Experience the Queen Silvia Concert Hall – Stockholm’s state-of-the-art sounding room for an interconnected world.

Signed by
Nina
Hugo
Mark
Emelia