Joseph Haydn's “The Creation” is both the highlight and the finale of our festival “Vom Anfangen”. Based on texts from Genesis and the Psalms, as well as John Milton's “Paradise Lost,” the oratorio traces the biblical story of the creation of the world. However, as with divine creation itself, not everyone was entirely happy with Haydn's work – Friedrich Schiller even dismissed it as a “characterless mishmash.” Nevertheless, with its onomatopoeic, folksy descriptions of nature and its Enlightenment-inspired ideals of humanity, its secular language and spiritual themes, it struck a chord with the spirit of the times. “The Creation” became a hit with audiences and a groundbreaking work in music history.