Elblandia: FORTISSIMA! – CHAMBER CONCERT

A tribute to the heroines of music. Cello sonatas by Henriëtte Bosmans and Luise Adolpha Le Beau are featured in this concert alongside works by Lera Auerbach, Maria Szymanowska, and Lili Boulanger.

If you ask people you know about female composers of classical music, you’ll find that most of them quickly run out of ideas on the subject. With her passionate tribute, star cellist Raphaela Gromes aims to change that. For her book *Fortissima!*, published in September 2025, Gromes teamed up with musicologist Susanne Wosnitzka to embark on a journey of discovery to uncover the long-forgotten and, to this day, underappreciated heroines of music history.

So who were the women behind names like Henriëtte Bosmans? How did these forgotten women live, having to fight tirelessly for their creativity and freedom? Did they compose differently than their male colleagues? What can we learn from them today? Raphaela Gromes seeks answers not only in her book but also as a performer: as a soloist with an orchestra or as a duo partner alongside pianist Julian Riem. This chamber concert in Graupa promises a captivating program full of new discoveries.