A program entirely devoted to Russian music: the evening opens with Sergei Rachmaninov's celebrated Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, for piano and orchestra, presented in Moscow on November 9, 1901, under the baton of Alexander Ziloti (with Rachmaninov as soloist). It is a composition that combines very difficult piano writing with a melodic emphasis rich in pathos, with the piano taking the foreground over the orchestra, here called upon to support the soloist.

Closing the concert is the suite from Swan Lake, Suite Op. 20a and the Italian Capriccio Op. 45 by Pëtr Il’ič Čajkovskij. Despite being among the most beloved ballets of all time today, Swan Lake did not become known when it debuted in 1877, but years later (in 1882) thanks to a Concert Suite (elaborated by the composer himself) and articulated in six numbers that summarize the highlights of the story. The Italian Capriccio op. 45, composed between 1879 and 1880, was inspired by Pëtr Il’ič Čajkovskij's sojourn in Italy, which sought to set to music the warmth, sunshine and traditions of the Italians, resulting in a score with dazzling colors and Italic sounds.

Sergej Rachmaninov
Concerto No. 2 in C minor Op. 18 for piano and orchestra

Pëtr Il’ič Čajkovskij
The swan lake, suite Op. 20a
Italian capriccio op. 45