Programme:

Bizet: L'Arlesienne Suite No.2
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Dvorak: Symphony No.9 "From the New World"

Performers:

Conductor: Carlo Rizzi
Soloist: Alexander Gavrylyuk (Piano)

The second suite is a charming collection comprising six pieces from those that Bizet composed for Daudet’s play The Girl from Arles – a tragic story about unrequited love in which the title character never appears.

Paganini’s theme is ripe for development and Rachmaninov fully exploits this in a freely imaginative and rhythmically energetic sequence of tightly organised variations forged into a continuous and potent drama, composed in a matter of days and brimming with white-hot inspiration.

Remaining incredibly fresh and abounding with memorable melodies, the Ninth Symphony describes Dvořák’s own spiritual and emotional journey from his intense longing for his beloved Bohemia to the thrill of the “New World” and its varied peoples.

Tickets: Available by phone or in person only from the Exeter Phoenix 01392 667080.