22 November 2025, 8 p.m. – Evangelical Church Grötzingen Kirchstraße 15, 76229 Karlsruhe-Grötzingen
Bella Kublanova, flute / Komitas Chamber Orchestra (Gyumri, Armenia)
Concertmaster: Aram Badalian / Conductor: Felix Treiber
On 22 November 2025, Karlsruhe will host the world premiere of “Armenian Flute Concerto – To Walk upon the Waters” by Vadim Werbitzky, a Karlsruhe-based composer, born in Munich, the last student of Edison Denisov.
The work was created as a German–Armenian collaboration and written especially for Bella Kublanova and the Komitas Chamber Orchestra.
Werbitzky’s concerto draws inspiration from Armenian miniatures of the 13th and 14th centuries and spiritual verses from the Book of Lamentations by Saint Grigor Narekatsi.
Each movement is a musical reflextion on a biblical image – a dialogue between vision, memory, and the present. The title refers to the spiritual idea of faith walking upon the waters, between the visible and the invisible.
In the final movement, authentic Armenian folk intonations emerge; texts by Grigor Narekatsi are recited between the movements, giving the work its profound spiritual resonance.
The concert also features works that build bridges between past and present:
Edvard Grieg – From Holberg’s Time, op. 40
Komitas Vardapet – Miniatures for Strings
P. I. Tchaikovsky – Serenade for Strings in C major, op. 48
Karlsruhe-based composer, born in Munich, Vadim Werbitzky is celebrated for merging liturgical depth with a modern sonic language.
Flutist Bella Kublanova is acclaimed for her rare versatility across historical and contemporary performance – the perfect partner for Werbitzky’s multifaceted work.
An evening of sound, faith, and vision –
a premiere that opens new horizons.
