Edo de Waart Conductor
Erin Wall Soprano
R Strauss Metamorphosen
R Strauss Four Last Songs
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Edo de Waart conducts his first concert as NZSO’s Conductor Laureate with this programme of lush orchestral masterpieces.
Two of Strauss’ late works deal in their own way with the end of all things. Metamorphosen has been interpreted as a lament to the destruction of Germany in World War II. In Four Last Songs, Strauss expresses the mellow sweetness of looking back, in the winter of your years, upon a life well lived. Canadian soprano Erin Wall is particularly acclaimed for her performances of Strauss and has sung leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and Opéra National de Paris. Her first performances in New Zealand will be unforgettable, as she gives voice to Strauss’ elegiac song cycle.
The programme concludes with Tchaikovsky’s well-loved Fifth Symphony. Not well received upon its premiere, it has won a place in every concert-goer’s heart for its colourful orchestration, its emotional qualities, and its brooding, soul-stirring melodies.
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