Some concerts you simply do not forget. Such was the case when Víkingur Ólafsson performed Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations at the 2023 Lucerne Festival. He did so in a way few had ever encountered before: as a vivid drama of the human condition, bringing a multitude of voices and characters to life and spanning the full range of emotions. He subsequently took the work on tour, performing it nearly 100 times around the world. “This piece is very close to me, so I’ve been giving it a bit of a rest because I wanted to have a fresh take on it,” Víkingur recalls. That time away from the Goldbergs gave rise to a bold idea. For the opening of Lucerne Festival Pulse — which he will curate for the next three years — Víkingur will join forces with his compatriot, the celebrated visual artist Olafur Eliasson, to reimagine Bach’s masterpiece as a Gesamtkunstwerk: a total work of art uniting sound and light projection. The setting for this 90-minute journey through time and space is the St. Pius Church in Meggen, with its delicate walls of translucent marble. Eliasson will respond to Víkingur’s playing in real time with his new, site-specific light installation, making each of the three performances unique. “I don’t really know how it’s going to turn out,” says Víkingur. “But that should be the spirit of the festival, to embrace the unexpected.”
Schlösslistrasse 2
6045 Meggen
arrival by train and bus
From the Lucerne train station, you can reach the Piuskirche by taking the S3 or the Voralpen-Express to the “Meggen Zentrum” stop. Several bus routes are also available from the train station. Take line 24 to the “Schlössli” stop, lines 6 or 8 to the “Brüelstrasse” stop, and then change to line 25 to the “Piuskirche” stop.
arrival by car
The West/St. Pius parking garage is located near the St. Pius Church.
cloakroom
There is no cloakroom.
gastronomy
There is a selection of restaurants, bars, and cafés within walking distance of Pius Church.
Víkingur Ólafsson | Olafur Eliasson
Víkingur Ólafsson | Olafur Eliasson
