“A Tribute to Eternity” Premieres Live at the Royal Opera House
In a unique collaboration, Academy Award®-winning film score composer Hans Zimmer and renowned physicist Professor Brian Cox have brought their creation, “A Tribute to Eternity,” to life with a live orchestral performance. This piece, inspired by IWC Schaffhausen’s new Portugieser collection and the Portugieser Eternal Calendar, was performed for the first time by an orchestra at the Royal Opera House in London during Brian Cox’s live show, “Symphonic Horizons,” featuring the Britten Sinfonia conducted by Daniel Harding.
IWC Schaffhausen’s Groundbreaking Portugieser Collection
At Watches and Wonders 2024, IWC Schaffhausen unveiled its new Portugieser collection and the Portugieser Eternal Calendar. Showcasing its expertise in mechanical calendars, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer introduced its first secular perpetual calendar, which accounts for the complex leap-year exception rules of the Gregorian calendar. This timepiece also features a moon phase display with a world-record-breaking accuracy of over 45 million years. To celebrate this marvel of engineering and craftsmanship, IWC collaborated with Hans Zimmer and Professor Brian Cox. The duo exchanged ideas about art, science, and time, resulting in Zimmer composing “A Tribute to Eternity,” which captures the beauty and timelessness of the Portugieser.
A Night of Musical and Scientific Exploration
The orchestral premiere of “A Tribute to Eternity” took place in London, where Brian Cox is performing his critically acclaimed show, “Symphonic Horizons,” at the Royal Opera House. This string of eight nights marks the first time Brian Cox has brought his show to the UK, blending extraordinary imagery with some of the greatest orchestral music ever written. Cox explores cosmic ideas, connecting them with the music of Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, and Jean Sibelius. Conducted by the renowned Daniel Harding, the Britten Sinfonia orchestra delivered a passionate live performance of Zimmer’s composition, highlighting the characteristic attributes of his style. Before the performance, Brian Cox shared insights into his conversations with Hans Zimmer and introduced the piece to the audience.
Experience “A Tribute to Eternity”
“A Tribute to Eternity” is now available on Spotify, offering listeners the chance to experience the music that beautifully encapsulates the essence of the IWC Portugieser collection.
For more information, visit IWC Schaffhausen.