Conductor Daniele Rustioni
With his red-hot score for The Firebird, Igor Stravinsky announced himself to the world as the composer who would take orchestral music into a scintillating new age. The composer had found the perfect story for his enchanting ballet: the tale of a battle between good and evil as the malice of the sorcerer Kastchei is pitted against the irrepressibly and joyous power of the magical Firebird. The story ends in an infernal dance, compellingly composed by Stravinsky with stamping rhythms and blazing-bright colours.
Violinist Francesca Dego (poto: Davide Cerati)
If any composer had prepared Russian audiences for Stravinsky’s vivid musical storytelling, it was Tchaikovsky, whose heartfelt musical reflection on Romeo & Juliet was powered as much by the composer’s own unrequited love as it was by the star-crossed lovers. In between these two chunks of impassioned musical storytelling, Daniele Rustioni conducts Mendelssohn’s supremely elegant Violin Concerto with the ‘inspiring new talent’ (The Sunday Times) Francesca Dego.
The summer concerts are generously supported by Mr Trond Mohn.