Nathalie Stutzmann, Czech Philharmonic

ABOUT THE CONCERT 

Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony ‘Pathétique’ is perhaps one of the most moving works in the romantic repertoire. As the composer himself said, “I put my entire soul into this work”. Our guide through the ‘Pathétique’ Symphony will be conductor Natalie Stutzmann who makes her Czech Philharmonic debut. As part of her debut performances, she’ll also share the stage with two of the Czech Philharmonic’s current leaders – Eva Krestová and Jan Fišer – in Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante.

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Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sinfonia concertante in E flat major for violin, viola, and orchestra, K 364

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 “Pathétique”

Performers

Jan Fišer violin
Eva Krestová viola

Nathalie Stutzmann conductor

Czech Philharmonic

MORE INFORMATION

Few musicians are as versatile as French conductor Natalie Stutzmann who is current Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Before becoming a conductor, Stutzmann trained as a singer, and also plays piano and bassoon: 

“I started with piano, and with piano you develop your harmonic ear. As a bassoon player, you develop your breathing and knowledge about those needs. As a cello player, you develop knowledge about the bow. As a Baroque singer, you develop the liberty of interpretation.”

With Stutzmann, the Czech Philharmonic returns to the music of Tchaikovsky. The Orchestra’s first project with its present Chief Conductor Semyon Bychkov was a recording cycle of Tchaikovsky’s complete symphonic works. In recent years, Stutzmann has also enjoyed great successes with the ‘Pathétique’ Symphony on both sides of the Atlantic. At its premiere in 1893, the work already proved capable of thrilling its listeners even though the sad news of the composer’s death followed just nine days later. Interestingly, the next performance given in the late composer’s memory was led by the Czech conductor Eduard Nápravník.

In the first half of the programme, two prominent players of the Czech Philharmonic – leader of the viola section Eva Krestová and Concertmaster Jan Fišer – will appear as soloists in Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante. Their musical dialogue will shine through in Mozart’s most successful contribution to the sinfonia concertante genre which builds on the baroque concerto grosso and is, as indicated in the name, a hybrid between a solo concerto and a symphony.