Luctus Profugis performed by WDR Symphony Orchestra

The WDR Symphony Orchestra, under music director Cristian Măcelaru, performed Luctus Profugis live at the Kölner Philharmonie on November 21, 2020. This filmed performance of the work was premiered online on March 5, 2021. Luctus Profugis is a lament for string orchestra and percussion that reflects on the 2015–2019 European refugee crisis. The title translates roughly from the Latin as “Grief for the Displaced.” The word “profugus” has a connection to the opening lines of Virgil’s “Aeneid,” which describes one of the earliest refugees: Aeneas fleeing the Trojan war to the shores of Italy. In Luctus Profugis, the percussionist at the heart of the ensemble plays a simple three-note motive that repeats for the duration of the piece. Its persistence symbolizes for me the refugees’ journey, their tenacity, courage and resilience.