The spring season of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra starts on Thursday, January 11th, at 7 pm and on Friday, January 12th, at 6 pm in the Concert Hall. Christian Kluxen, who impressively opened his term as Principal Guest Conductor in the fall with Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem, conducts the orchestra. The concert is filled with emotions, featuring the great and romantic symphony "Klippepastoraler" by Danish composer Rued Langgaard and Richard Strauss's delicate and emotional song cycle Vier letzte Lieder interpreted by soprano Christina Nilsson. Both concert evenings are preceded by a Head Start open to the audience, providing a closer look at the artists and the program.
Soprano Christina Nilsson is a familiar name on European opera stages. She won the Renata Tebaldi singing competition in 2017 and has received awards in several other competitions. Richard Strauss's masterpiece, the song cycle Vier letzte Lieder or "Four Last Songs," is like a musical journey towards the sunset. Strauss created the work in the last years of his life, and the song cycle progresses from the springtime freshness of the first song through the darker emotions of the next two songs to the radiant sunset of the concluding song. Nilsson has successfully performed the song cycle previously, including with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Stockholm.
The core of Rued Langgaard's production consists of 16 symphonies. Kluxen presents the first of these symphonies to the audience in Turku, titled "Klippepastoraler" or "Cliffside Pastorals." With its one-hour duration and large orchestral ensemble, the work opens the spring season in a festive manner. Expressing romanticism, the symphony resounds fully with the principle of "more is more." Langgaard's symphony has five descriptive parts, with names reflecting the ascent from the seashore to the mountain peak. Overshadowed during his lifetime by another great Danish symphonist, Carl Nielsen, Langgaard's symphony is stylistically rich music reminiscent of Strauss, Wagner, and Mahler.
Christian Kluxen is one of the most intriguing conductors in Scandinavia. In the fall of 2023, he started his seventh season as the artistic director of the Victoria Symphony in Canada and his first season as the Principal Guest Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. Kluxen is known for his sincere and transparent leadership, innovative program planning, and bold, imaginative, and energetic interpretations. He has collaborated with significant orchestras worldwide.
Kluxen will conduct the orchestra for the second time during the spring in April, on Thursday, April 18th, at 7 pm in the Concert Hall. The concert, titled "Eight Seasons," features theremin virtuoso Carolina Eyck as the soloist, with Kalevi Aho's "Eight Seasons," a concerto for theremin and chamber orchestra. Olivier Messiaen's Les Offrandes oubliées and Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra complete the evening.
On the Cliffs Thu 11.1. at 7 pm and Fri 12.1. at 6 pm in the Concert Hall. Christian Kluxen, conductor, Christina Nilsson, soprano. Strauss – Langgaard.
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Symphony Series of the Spring Season
On the Cliffs, Thu 11.1. at 7 pm and Fri 12.1. at 6 pm
Christian Kluxen, conductor, Christina Nilsson, soprano
Strauss – Langgaard
Classically Passionate, Fri 19.1. at 6 pm
Bernard Labadie, conductor, Andreas Brantelid, cello.
Haydn – Mozart
Rachlin & Mendelssohn, Thu 25.1. at 7 pm and Fri 26.1. at 6 pm
Julian Rachlin, conductor and violin
Mendelssohn – Rossini – Schumann
Postcards from Rome, Thu 1.2. at 7 pm
Fabien Gabel, conductor
Puccini – Ponchielli – Verdi – Respighi
French Sounds at the Cathedral, Thu 8.2. at 7 pm
Edward Ananian-Cooper, conductor, Iida Antola, sopraano
Debussy – Ravel – Messiaen
Colourful Virtuoso, Thu 15.2. at 7 pm and Fri 16.2. at 6 pm
Gergely Madaras, dirigent, Noemi Gyori, flute
Ibert – Tšaikovski
Roller-coaster of Music, Fri 8.3. at 6 pm
Matti Koponen and Philip Zuckerman, leading and hosting
Richter – Schnittke – Bach – Pärt – Mozart – Beethoven – Haydn
Hope is in the Air, Thu 14.3. at 7 pm
Erle Kont, kapellimestari, Irina Zahharenkova, cembalo
Copland – Górecki – Sibelius
Easter Oratorio, Fri 29.3. at 6 pm
Ville Matvejeff, conductor, Kaisa Ranta, soprano, Wilhelmína Tómasdóttir, soprano, Maiju Vaahtoluoto, mezzosoprano, Johan Krogius, tenor, Nicholas Söderlund, bass, Chorus Cathedralis Aboensis.
Kostiainen
Storm Spell, Thu 11.4. at 7 pm and Fri 12.4. at 6 pm
Anu Tali, conductor, Mishka Rushdie Momen, piano
Tüür – Mozart – Dvořák
Eight Seasons, Thu 18.4. at 7 pm
Christian Kluxen, conductor, Carolina Eyck, theremin
Messiaen – Aho – Bartók
Northern Burning, Fri 26.4. at 6 pm
Emilia Hoving, conductor, Amalie Stalheim, cello
Munktell – Hillborg – Nielsen
Arrivederci!, Thu 16.5. at 7 pm
Christoph Poppen, conductor, Laura Mikkola, piano
Olivero – Ravel – Mendelssohn