Andris Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

Andris Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

Described by The New York Times as ‘a young dynamo’, Andris Nelsons enjoyed an acclaimed tenure at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra before appointments at two of the world’s most feted musical ensembles: the Boston Symphony Orchestra and, in 2018, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig.

Founded in 1743, the Gewandhausorchester performs weekly concerts in the Gewandhaus, Leipzig’s main concert hall, and it also serves as the orchestra in the Leipzig Opera. The Orchestra’s other musical duties include weekly performances at Leipzig’s Thomaskirche, where Bach was the Cantor until his death. Mendelssohn was appointed as Kappellmeister in 1835, part of a long tradition of famous names who have directed this orchestra.

In the second of this pair of concerts, the orchestra presents Mahler’s magnificent First Symphony, alongside a selection of richly lyrical arias and orchestral interludes from some of Tchaikovsky’s best loved operas, including Eugene Onegin’s centrepiece, Tatyana’s affecting ‘Letter Scene’.

The evening opens with the UK premiere of a new work Māra from the rising Latvian composer Andris Dzenitis.

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Andris Nelsons Gewandhauskapellmeister
Kristine Opolais soprano

Repertoire

Andris Dzenitis: Mara for orchestra (UK premiere)
Tchaikovsky: Liza’s arioso from The Queen of Spades; Polonaise from Eugene Onegin; Tatyana’s Letter Scene from Eugene Onegin
Interval
Mahler: Symphony No.1