Berliner Philharmoniker
Gustavo Dudamel Conductor
Viktoria Mullova Violin
Sergei Rachmaninov
Isle of the Dead
Igor Stravinsky
Violin Concerto
Serge Prokofiev
Symphony No. 5
Introductory presentation 7 p.m.
What is the connection between the United States of America, Venezuela, Russia and the art of beautiful sound? It’s quite simple: our man from Caracas, Gustavo Dudamel. The highly talented young conductor has long transcended the fiesta mood. His command of the Classical, Romantic and post-Romantic repertoire is that of an old stager – and that is not the only reason why he has been invited to the forefront of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. So it comes as no surprise that Dudamel naturally masters an evening with the works of three Russian composers, each of which truly packs a punch. For who could claim that the interpretation of Sergei Rachmaninov’s symphonic poem Isle of the Dead, inspired by Arnold Böcklin’s homonymous painting, is an easy task? Who would consider Igor Stravinsky’s extraordinarily cerebral and hence appealing Concerto en Ré a stroll? Or would anyone imagine that one could simply slam Sergei Prokofiev’s furious Fifth Symphony into the concert hall, just like that? Exactly. And that’s why Dudamel’s appearances at the helm of the Berliner Philharmoniker and the fabulous violin soloist Viktoria Mullova hold a promise for plenty of discussion. And they are certainly well worth listening to!
