SHAKESPEARE AND SWANS

The KZN Philharmonic Orchestra’s fourth concert in the current World Symphony Series season starts with one of Berlioz’s early but great works inspired by Shakespeare - Grande Ouverture du Roi Lear, Op. 4, H. 53 (Grand Overture to King Lear). Berlioz’s approach to the King Lear tragedy is one of probing character studies; along with music depicting Lear’s descent into madness, Berlioz employs one of his most beautiful melodies, perhaps as a representation of Cordelia’s purity. The first half ends with one of the major Romantic cello concertos -Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1, cast in a single continuous movement.

The orchestra will take audiences to the shores of Swan Lake after the interval, in a performance of a selection of numbers from the beloved ballet, which contains some of Tchaikovsky’s most enchanting music.

The young and accomplished cellist Georgi Anichenko will be joining highly sought-after conductor Emil Tabakov for this concert. Tabakov’s impressive discography includes a complete Mahler cycle with the Bulgarian Philharmonic Orchestra, and we are delighted to host him.

The concert begins on March 3 at 19h30 in the City Hall, preceded by a lecture hosted by Friends of Music in the Royal Hotel at 18h15. Book through Computicket.