One of the world’s newest and most exciting orchestras will appear at Edinburgh’s iconic Usher Hall in February.
Founded in 2006, the Symphony Orchestra of India brings together exceptional players from across the Subcontinent – a region with its own vibrant traditions of classical music – together with superb international musicians. Based in Mumbai, it is India’s very first professional symphony orchestra, and has already worked extensively with some of the world’s most renowned soloists and conductors, touring to the best concert halls across the globe.
To begin, the Orchestra will take audiences into the fairy realm with the magical orchestral evocations of Weber’s Oberon Overture. The composer’s final opera, it depicts the tale of Oberon, who quarrels with his wife Titania over whether men or women are faithful to their lovers. The pair can only be reconciled when a couple constant through misfortune can be found. The Overture is a musical standout of the work, with supernatural horns and strings transporting the listener into another realm.
The Orchestra’s co-founder and Music Director, Kazakh-born violinist Marat Bisengaliev, joins the players for one of the true wonders of the violin repertoire. Bruch’s soulful First Violin Concerto blends dazzling virtuosity with heartrending melody – it’s not hard to hear why it’s considered the world’s most adored violin concerto. The iconic piece had drawn-out origins, with Bruch being consistently dissatisfied and modifying it “at least half a dozen times” over four years. It finally had its premiere in Bremen in 1968 with the great Joseph Joachim as the soloist, after Bruch sought his comments on the piece during the writing process.
Incisive British conductor Martyn Brabbins – Music Director of English National Opera – brings the concert to an electrifying climax with an exhilarating journey through the Arabian Nights – with tales of Sinbad’s adventures, swashbuckling heroes, tender young love and a cataclysmic shipwreck, all related in Rimsky-Korsakov’s sensuous Scheherazade. The composer’s early life as a sailor surely played a role in the composition, with his own exploration of the Seven Seas and trips bound to the far east, where the tale of Scheherazade is set, giving Rimsky-Korsakov his own experiences to draw upon.
Get along to the Usher Hall for an afternoon of musical adventure and exploration with one of the world’s most exciting young orchestras!
Symphony Orchestra of India with Marat Bisengaliev
Sunday Classics at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh
3:00pm, Sunday 24 February 2019
Martyn Brabbins – Conductor
Marat Bisengaliev – Violin
Symphony Orchestra of India
Weber – Oberon Overture
Bruch – Violin Concerto No. 1
Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade
Tickets available at www.usherhall.co.uk
Prices
£35 | £29 | £24 | £18 | £13.50
Full time students are entitled to tickets for £10 which can be booked in advance
Under 16s are entitled to free tickets when booked with a paying adult
Concessions available
**Please note a £1.50 transaction fee applies on the overall booking when purchasing online or over the phone (non-refundable)**
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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