〈冬之旅〉是德國作曲家舒伯特（1797-1828）登峰造極的一套聯篇歌曲，二十四首藝術歌曲以德國詩人穆勒（1794-1827）的詩詞入樂，歌詞描寫遊子在孤寂旅途上扣問生命意義的歷程；與刻下我們因疫情關係無奈與外界隔絕，獨自面對種種未知的情況不無共鳴。

是次美聲匯的《冰上〈冬之旅〉》版本為香港藝術發展局Arts Go Digital藝術數碼平台的優秀節目之一，將從〈冬之旅〉聯篇歌曲中抽取其中七首，配合歌聲、花式溜冰及錄像投影技術，製作一系列七集的全新音樂影片，不單為觀眾帶來豐富的多媒體藝術賞識體驗，更是香港甚至國際前所未有的表演形式。七集的全新音樂影片現於YouTube免費播放。

同時，美聲匯亦設立「虛擬展覽」，讓中學生以《冰上〈冬之旅〉》七首歌曲為靈感，把音樂轉化成影像，創出全新畫作。我們共收集了78份原創作品，經評審挑選後，選出其中30份，讓大家透過「《冬之旅》虛擬展覽」欣賞同學們的成果。

Schubert (1797-1828)’s “Winterreise”, hailed as one of the jewels in the genre of lieder, is set to the 24 poems by German poet Wilhelm Müller (1794-1827). The loner who is trying to find meaning in life on a psychological journey in “Winterreise” forms an uncanny parallel imagery between those isolated by social distancing while coping with uncertainties amidst the epidemic at present.

In Bel Canto Singers’ “Winterreise on Ice” as part of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council’s Arts Go Digital Platform Scheme, seven songs are selected to form a mini cycle for a series of seven music videos. Combined with music performance, figure skating and projection mapping, we hope to create an exquisite and multi-media “Winterreise” experience for the audience. These seven music videos of “Winterreise on Ice” are now available on YouTube.

“Winterreise” is a perfect example of how one art form (poetry) crosses media with another (music), taking inspiration from one artistic perspective and exemplifying it to form another amalgamated whole, elevating it to a different level of aesthetic appreciation. With this in mind, we are also launching a “Virtual Exhibition”, resulting from a Call for Paintings from secondary school students. Inspired by the seven songs in this mini cycle, 78 secondary school students have submitted original paintings for our virtual exhibition and have come up with their own visual response to Schubert’s immortal songs. Our “Winterreise Virtual Exhibition” will showcase 30 paintings from these submissions.