Music & Poetry Matinee: Hermann Hesse – I Was a Seeker and Still Am

This music and poetry matinee paints a vivid portrait of Hermann Hesse’s life, shaped by autobiographical texts, poems, letters, and excerpts from his novels. With empathy and subtle self-irony, Hesse reveals his inner conflicts, his quest for the 'self,' and the turmoil of an era marked by ideologies and world wars. Vera Bauer, an independent voice in Switzerland’s free cultural scene, weaves Hesse’s words with artistic interpretation, creating an inspiring portrait of the writer.

David Goldzycher, who grew up in Buenos Aires and is a long-standing member of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, complements the reading with solo violin music. His sounds interweave with Hesse’s word art to form a multifaceted overall picture. An evening that makes the work of one of the most significant German-speaking authors of the 20th century accessible in an unusual way.