| Slovak Philharmonic Leoš Svárovský conductor Olga Scheps piano |
|
| Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka Sergei Rachmaninoff Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky |
Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 |
Pushkin’s poem Ruslan and Ludmila was the model for the opera of the same name by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka. Pushkin was supposed to write the libretto, but participation in a duel cost him his life. The popular Second Piano Concerto was premiered by Sergei Rachmaninoff in collaboration with his nephew Alexander Siloti in his conducting debut. The piece is dedicated to the neurologist Nikolai Dahl, who helped Rachmaninoff regain his strength after the unsuccessful premiere of the First Symphony left him mentally depressed for three years. The Russian triptych will close with a symphony by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which is a musical response to man’s struggle for fickle happiness. “Like a butterfly I fall into the fire and burn my wings…”
The young pianist Olga Scheps, with Russian roots, is a crystal clear romantic; her performances bring emotions and often bring the listeners to tears. Her philharmonic debut will be conducted by the charming Leoš Svárovský.