Venetian gondolas, summer in the lagoon, failing artists, dark longings ... Under the direction of General Music Director Rasmus Baumann, the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen tackles literature and film set in Venice this year. Gustav Mahler's opulent 5th Symphony takes center stage. In 1971, Luchino Visconti adapted Thomas Mann's novella "Death in Venice" for the big screen, using Mahler’s symphony as its soundtrack. The concise use of Mahler's Adagietto underscores protagonist Gustav von Aschenbach's yearning for death and his sense of failure as an artist. In about 70 minutes, the boldly orchestrated symphony presents the entire range of musical moods - from an austere funeral march to the exuberant finale. Before the intermission, the orchestra performs Benjamin Britten's "Death in Venice," which also reflects Britten's own homosexuality. The orchestral suite, arranged by Stuart Bedford, transports the tragic atmosphere of the opera to the audience.