July 17, 2024, 20:00
Great Hall
Iveta Apkalna and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
Artists:
Iveta Apkalna, organ
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Olli Mustonen (Finland)
Programme:
Gioachino Rossini “Semiramide” Ouverture
Francis Poulenc “Concerto for organ, string orchestra and timpani in G minor”
Jean Sibelius 7th Symphony and the symphonic poem “Finland”
On 17 July, the symphonic music programme will feature organist Iveta Apkalna, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and Finnish conductor Olli Mustonen, one of the most prominent Nordic musicians of our time. The programme will include Italian and French works, as well as symphonic opuses by Jean Sibelius.
Francis Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ, Timpani and Strings – a composition, in which baroque drama and romantic nostalgia alternate with joyfulness and gracefulness, will be performed by Iveta Apkalna. The chameleonic sound language of the concerto reflects Poulenc’s dual nature, shedding light on religious and life-loving facets of his personality.
The composer has characterised the piece himself: “This is no longer the careless Poulenc, who wrote the Concerto for Two Pianos. This is the Poulenc on the way to the monastery – a 15th-century Poulenc, if you like.”
The visitors will also hear the overture to Gioachino Rossini’s last opera Semiramide and the uplifting manifesto of freedom in music by Jean Sibelius – the symphonic poem Finlandia. Sibelius’s Seventh Symphony is the culmination of the creative spirit of the composer, where he addresses the higher forces of eternity. In this unusually shaped symphony, subdued resignation and a tranquil spirit are interwoven with enlightened radiance, vital joy and sublime themes. It has been called the “Parsifal” of Finnish music; Sibelius’s opus is also permeated by metaphysical visions of light, striving to reach the pinnacle of humanity.
Olli Mustonen is a masterful composer, an accomplished pianist and a brilliant conductor. He is currently the Artistic Director and the Principal Conductor of Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. Olli Mustonen has collaborated with multiple world-class orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and all London orchestras. He has been the director of the Korsholm and Turku Music Festivals, one of the founders of the Helsinki Festival Orchestra, as well as the conductor of the “Tapiola Sinfonietta” chamber orchestra.
Approximate duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Iveta Apkalna
OrganLatvian organist Iveta Apkalna is considered one of the leading instrumentalists in the world. Since 2017 she has served as the titular organist of the Klais organ at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. For the January 2017 opening of the hall she took part in the two world premieres of the evening: Wolfgang Rihm’s Triptychon und Spruch in memoriam Hans Henny Jahnn with Thomas Hengelbrock and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and Jörg Widmann’s ARCHE with Kent Nagano and the Philharmonic State Orchestra Hamburg. In September 2018 Berlin Classics released the album “Light & Dark”, the first solo album recorded on the Klais organ at the Elbphilharmonie.
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra
The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) is one of the cornerstones of Latvian national culture. Founded in 1926 as the Riga Radio Centre Orchestra, the LNSO has borne its current name since 1990. The orchestra is a six-time winner of the Grand Music Award, Latvia’s highest honour in classical music. In May 2022, Finnish Tarmo Peltokoski became the Music and Artistic Director of the LNSO. In recent years, the LNSO has performed at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the Grand Théâtre of Aix-en-Provence, among many other important European concert halls. The orchestra has participated in the Festival de La Roque-d'Anthéron in France, the Bratislava Music Festival in Slovakia and has taken the stage in Germany, Switzerland, and the Baltic States.
Olli Mustonen
ConductorArtistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Olli Mustonen has a unique place on today’s music scene. Following the tradition of great masters such as Rachmaninov, Busoni and Enescu, Mustonen combines the roles of his musicianship as composer, pianist and conductor in an equal balance that is quite exceptional, often bringing them together in one fascinating triple role performance. This season, he continues his position of Principal Guest Conductor of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra where he combines orchestral concerts with chamber music and recitals.
