Having spent over 125 years at the center of Russian musical life, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic is Russia’s oldest symphonic ensemble and the crown jewel of Russian orchestras. At the helm is Principal Conductor Yuri Temirkanov, a courtly paragon of Old World virtues. Temirkanov’s penchant for warmth of feeling over cold precision is his constant quest, and in the St. Petersburg Philharmonic he has a perfect companion. Maestro Temirkanov and the St. Petersburg will be joined by the charismatic young cellist Alisa Weilerstein, known for her meltingly beautiful sound, passionate expression, and concentrated power.

“No acoustical properties in any hall can account for the string sound this orchestra makes, which seems to emanate out of the stage floorboards and throb with a dark, slightly opaque glow.” —The New York Times

“Weilerstein seemed to implicitly answer the challenge Isaac Stern used to pose time and time again to technically gifted young players: Show the audience not just how you make music but why.” —The Boston Globe

Program:

Rimsky-Korsakov
Russian Easter Overture, Opus 36

Shostakovich
Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Opus 107

Brahms 
Symphony No. 4