Tania Miller, Conductor
Rachel Barton Pine, Violin

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart   The Magic Flute Overture
Jean Sibelius   Violin Concerto in D minor
Dmitri Shostakovich   Symphony No. 5

Mozart’s Overture to his opera The Magic Flute transports us into a magical world filled with hidden meaning, symbols and trials. In this program, we experience the magic of nature and glorious romanticism of Sibelius and his unique connection to the vastness and beauty of his homeland. And we celebrate the glory of music with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, one of the great symphonic scores of the 20th Century. After Shostakovich’s opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was met with severe criticism from Stalin and the regime, and caused Shostakovich to be labelled as an “enemy of the people”, Shostakovich’s life and career were in danger. Shostakovich wrote his Symphony No. 5 after a period of silence, and it was labelled by an article as a ‘Soviet’s Response to Just Criticism.” But what was the meaning behind this Symphony? Was the finale of a rise in victorious celebration, a glory for the regime? Or was it something else, irony or mockery perhaps? Pure orchestral music (without a story or words) is free to be interpreted by each listener in a personal way and changes in perspective and meaning depending on our time, culture, and experiences. This concert takes us on a journey through the magic and glory of music. We hope you enjoy it.