#LIEDINNOVATION
Since 2020, the international call for submissions #LIEDINNOVATION by the RHONEFESTIVAL has invited artists and audiences to explore musical boundaries and discover innovative paths in the world of Lieder.
The initiative #LIEDINNOVATION has provided international artists with the opportunity to apply for a concert at the RHONEFESTIVAL. Previous winners include: the ensemble LOVESONGS (2020), the concept LIEDMOVIES (2021), the TRIO.S ENSEMBLE (2022) as well as TAROT SONGS (2023) and DAS WANDERN (2024).
Among the four finalists, two projects stood out in particular – in terms of artistic, musical, and conceptual strength.
As both 2025 and 2026 are being celebrated as Rilke years, we are pleased – in the spirit of long-term planning and sustainability – to award two first prizes, each linked to a concert in the 2025 or 2026 festival season.
The next #LIEDINNOVATION call for submissions will take place in 2026 for the 2027 festival season. Further details to follow in spring 2026.
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FOCUS RAINER MARIA RILKE
For the 6th edition of #LIEDINNOVATION, we are looking for your personal, creative, mediating, transdisciplinary, and participatory visions for new forms of performing Lieder!
This year, we are drawing inspiration from Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926), who will celebrate his 150th birthday in 2025 and found his final resting place in Raron, near our festival venue.
Let’s shape the future Lieder together – we look forward to receiving your applications!
What do his poems – and their musical settings – have to say to us today? Which aspects of his work would you like to explore and cast in a new light? What responses can we offer him from a contemporary perspective?
CONCERT IN AUTUM 2025
One selected concept will be realised as part of the AUTUMN CONCERT of the RHONEFESTIVAL on November 23, 2025, in Brig (Valais/Switzerland). Several finalists will be presented with their ideas on our website, in our newsletter, and on social media.
TIMELINE
Application deadline: July 1, 2025
Announcement of results: July 15, 2025
Performance (mandatory): November 23, 2025, Brig (Switzerland)
CONCEPT
A project may include a maximum of four participating artists.
The performance will take place in Brig – but is not limited to a specific venue.
Duration of the performance: 50 to 70 minutes (without intermission).
Conceptual guidance will be provided in advance by the RHONEFESTIVAL.
Technical support will be provided on-site by professional staff.
FINANCES
The artists of the selected concept will receive a fee of CHF 1,000 per person, including travel expenses.
The festival will cover two nights of accommodation on-site.
Additionally, the festival will provide up to CHF 1,500 for production materials and other expenses. These costs must be clearly outlined in advance, continuously updated, and approved by the festival board.
CRITERIA
Musical quality
Creative vision
Contextual relevance (connection to Rilke)
(Socio-)cultural relevance
Audience engagement
Sustainability/feasibility
JURY
Marlene Heiss – Pianist, curator & artistic researcher
Toni Ming Geiger – Pianist & concert designer
Franziska Heinzen – Singer & artistic director of the RHONEFESTIVAL
The jury reserves the right not to award a prize if the criteria are not met.
Upon request, non-selected projects will receive individual feedback from the jury.
All data and concepts will be treated confidentially and will not be shared with third parties.APPLICATION DOCUMENTS VIA GOOGLE FORM
All documents must be submitted directly (no PDFs) via the provided Google Form, in German, French, or English:Portfolio of the ensemble and participating artists (max. 600 characters per person)
At least 2 audio/video links (all participating artists must appear at least once)
Introduction video presenting yourselves and your concept (max. 2 minutes)
Concept description including vision and objectives (max. 600 characters)
Detailed programme (composer / piece / duration)
Technical requirements
Production budget (list of required materials including prices)
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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The jury was deeply impressed by the high musical and artistic quality of the submissions. Interest in the competition was remarkably strong: a total of 24 applications were received, with most candidates engaging intensively and creatively with the given theme.
The diversity and inventiveness of the entries reflected a remarkable level of commitment and a clear enthusiasm for the art of classical song. Many of the concepts went well beyond the traditional song recital format and showcased a distinct personal touch. We would like to warmly thank all applicants for their contributions.
The selected finalists stood out for their outstanding artistic and musical quality, the depth and nuance of their programming, and a distinctive, compelling performance practice.
The artistic engagement with the work of Rainer Maria Rilke gave rise to powerful themes such as: alienation and rootlessness, life decisions, coping with illness, challenging societal norms, the transience of time, exchange with other artists, female perspectives, the impact of war, grief and consolation, spirituality, childhood and death, collective experiences, and individual solitude.
The submitted concepts spanned a wide range—from traditional recitals to multimedia approaches and experimental formats. These included, among others, songs combined with electronic music, cross-genre collaborations, dance performances, DJ sets, the use of artificial intelligence, visual arts, virtual reality, synthesizer soundscapes, staging, light installations, participatory formats, live streaming, and hybrid presentation methods.
The jury congratulates the selected finalists, whose work was particularly compelling due to its conceptual depth, artistic independence, and innovative spirit.
#LIEDINNOVATION 2025
DUINO ELEGIES
LAURE-CATHERINE BEYERS SOPRANO
ANA OSTOJIĆ PIANO
SANZIANA DOBROVICESCU COMPOSER
MIHAI CODREA COMPOSER
DUO ARDEA – consisting of soprano Laure-Catherine Beyers and pianist Ana Ostojić – impresses with an approach that does not use innovation as mere effect, but rather as an expression of a deeply contemporary artistic identity. The duo assumes multiple roles: as musicians, performers, and catalysts for new works. With their aim to organically intertwine classical and contemporary song, they open up new narrative and sonic spaces.
Their project based on Rainer Maria Rilke’s DUNIO ELEGIES unfolds as a multilayered dramaturgical structure. In close collaboration with composers Sanziana Dobrovicescu and Mihai Codrea, new commissioned works are created in response to Rilke’s poetry. These are thoughtfully interwoven with existing repertoire – some of which dates back to the 17th century – and further enhanced by electronics and performative elements.
The interplay between acoustic instruments and electronic soundscapes is not an add-on, but an integral part of the project’s concept, deeply rooted in its themes. Love, death, religion, morality, and hope are explored as fundamental, unresolvable questions – always with the aim of sharpening our awareness of individual responsibility in a changing world.
The concept stands out for its strong artistic vision, particularly in how it reimagines the song form as something open, fluid, and rooted in the present. With vocal and pianistic excellence, experimental openness, and a keen sense for contemporary relevance, DUO ARDEA is forging a forward-looking path in the world of art song.
#LIEDINNOVATION 2026
REQUIEM FOR A YOUNG ARTIST
CARLOTTA LIPSKI SOPRANO
MAGDALENA WOLFARTH PIANO
CHARLOTTE KAISER MANDOLIN
TIMM KORNELIUS BASSOON
With striking artistic consistency and remarkable conceptual clarity, Carlotta Lipski and Magdalena Wolfarth – together with Charlotte Kaiser and Timm Kornelius – present a song performance that seeks to portray death not as an end, but as a space of transformation. Drawing directly from the works of Rainer Maria Rilke, they create a musical-scenic requiem that explores fundamental existential questions with boldness and nuance – questions of fear, loneliness, and doubt, as well as the idea of artistic rebirth through the act of letting go.
A particularly outstanding feature is the unique instrumental combination: mandolin, bassoon, and electronic sound merge with voice and performance – a highly innovative instrumentation that evolves at the intersection of music, installation, and staged expression. The artists impress with exceptional musical excellence, powerful stage presence, and a profound sensitivity to both the emotional and intellectual dimensions of the work.
The concept is compelling not only for its depth of engagement with the theme, but also for the artistic expertise of the ensemble. Through deliberate disruptions and moments of self-irony, the ensemble breaks with the ‘sacredness’ and emotional gravity of the theme, offering contrast and levity. Instead of performing the song form by convention, they investigate it as raw material—deconstructing, reimagining, and reconfiguring it through a performative lens.
The result is an artistically intense experience, rooted in regional context, embracing modern repertoire, and addressing its themes with consistency and conviction on every level. A remarkable contribution that reinterprets the challenges and concerns of contemporary vocal music with refreshing innovation.
FINALISTS 2025 & 2026
AI COMPANION
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IPHIGENIE WORBES SOPRANO
VERA HEPPT PIANO -
In their performance AI Companion, Iphigenie Worbes and Vera Heppt explore a highly topical subject: loneliness in the age of artificial intelligence. In a hybrid art song narrative, they combine classical music, staged performance, and media reflection with quotes from Rainer Maria Rilke—cleverly building a bridge between past and present, between existential interiority and the technological outside world.
At the heart of the piece lies an unusual love story: the relationship between a woman and a chatbot, which at first offers comfort but gradually reveals itself to be an illusion. The emotional detachment that follows, culminating in a psychological breakdown, is traced with dramaturgical precision. Particularly compelling is the contrast between Rilke’s affirmative interpretation of solitude—as a precondition for true self-knowledge—and today’s experience of digital isolation.
The work raises pressing questions about human presence, distraction, reality, and inner life in a world increasingly shaped by AI.
The project impresses with its thoughtful conceptual approach, timely theme, and distinctive artistic voice. The integration of classical song with performative, visual, and discursive elements is handled with great sensitivity. AI Companion is a powerful example of how art song can remain relevant within the context of contemporary societal discourse.
ENSEMBLE EIDER
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JULIE CATHERINE MEZZOSOPRANO
MAXENCE LÉONARD PIANO & COMPOSER
TOBIA GIORLA VISUAL ARTIST -
The Swiss ensemble Eider — consisting of mezzo-soprano Julie Catherine, composer and pianist Maxence Léonard, and visual artist Tobia Giorla — has developed a project of exceptional originality. Through an interdisciplinary approach, they weave together music, text, visuals, and electronics into a deeply personal and intimate engagement with the work of Rainer Maria Rilke.
At the core are specially composed songs and instrumental pieces set to Rilke’s texts such as Abschied and Die Treppe der Orangerie, blending acoustic sounds with electronic music. These are complemented by visual elements — including projections, material light play, and fine art.
The strength of the project lies in its very personal approach through original compositions, cross-genre elements, and holistic stage presence: it creates a synesthetic experience that reinterprets Rilke’s themes —farewell, memory, movement, and inner landscapes — in a subjective way. This distinctive concept and crossover style form the special appeal of the production. At the same time, the intimate closeness of self-created works offers an authentic mode of expression that sets it apart from the traditional concert format.
Ensemble Eider presents a project that consciously transcends artistic boundaries without losing itself in crossover. An experimental and multifaceted contribution that opens up new paths for song interpretation.
