Tchaikovsky 4

Slavic classical tradition is bursting with emotion, romance and folksy vivaciousness. Tonight you can enjoy three Eastern European masters, including the overture from an opera by the celebrated Czech master Bedřich Smetana, The Bartered Bride. The overture transports you to a merry village festival, where the clever couple Marenka and Jenik seek to evade a marriage broker through various ruses. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome…

Today, the young but globally lauded opera conductor Leonardo Sini returns to The Hague (where he conducted his graduation concert with the Residentie Orkest in 2017). The opera overture is followed by the hot-blooded, colourful Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra by Josef Suk. Not a traditional violin concerto, but a free, imaginative work inspired by traditional Slavic melodies. The piece’s skilful violin part is performed by Dutch violin virtuoso Liza Ferschtman, whose energetic, versatile style is a perfect match for this composition. The concert concludes with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ‘s Symphony No. 4, a symphonic poem that expresses his inner struggles and longing for happiness.