A Celebration Of Woman In Classical Music
First female winner of the first prize at the Sir Georg Solti International Conductors' Competition, as well as the recipient of a multitude of other accolades, South Korean classical conductor Shi-Yeon Sung returns to lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra for the first time since her tenure as the ensemble's assistant director. Her chosen program shines a light on little known female composer Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, as well as her brother Felix Mendelssohn and Antonin Dvorak.
The evening begins with Mendelssohn-Hensel's Overture in C, a remarkable work known for its virtuosic string runs and rousing sonic splendour, balanced with a nuanced delicacy that became a hallmark of the composer - for every majestic, grandeur-filled musical flight there is a light and restrained answering passage. This is followed by her brother's Piano Concerto No. 1, during which celebrated Argentinian-Jewish pianist Ingrid Filter makes her BSO debut. The program closes with thrilling Eighth Symphony, a cheerful and optimistic jaunt filled with proud Czech rhythms and harmonies.