10th symphony concert

Žibuoklé Martinaityté Saudade
Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
Sergej Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 13

Wistful moods permeate the programme of our season finale and three charismatic female artists put their mark on it. Lithuanian conductor Giedrė Šlekytė, a true shooting star and internationally acclaimed for the verve and freshness of her conducting, will take the podium of the Staatskapelle. She brings with her the orchestral work Saudade by her compatriot Žibuoklé Martinaityté, which explores longing as a concept charged with both positive and negative emotions in a wealth of tonal nuances. The only violin concerto by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, interpreted by violinist Rebekka Hartmann, is likewise infused with a feeling of deep melancholy and abandonment despite maximum virtuosity. Here, as so often, the source of the most marvellous musical creations! The 1st Symphony by just 24-year-old Sergei Rachmaninoff, too, is highly emotionally charged. The liturgical Dies Irae motif runs like a thematic thread through the ambitious work and reflects the composer's fascination with the topic of death and hell. Moments of grandiose expressivity are juxtaposed with passages of the most splendid inwardness. Incidentally, the fiasco of the première caused Rachmaninoff to fall into a deep depression that would shape his entire life and work. Longing for happiness and recognition – unmistakable here too.