Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Vasily Petrenko & Behzod Abduraimov

Following the Viennese sound colors and the "Fin-de-Siècle" atmosphere of their first performance in Gstaad, dedicated to Gustav Mahler, Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra now move further east – to a grand Tchaikovsky evening full of passion and brilliance. The program features two absolute masterpieces by the Russian composer: the Piano Concerto No. 1 – with the brilliant Uzbek-American virtuoso Behzod Abduraimov – and the monumental Symphony No. 5, both completed in 1888. The evening begins with the delightful stage music by the young Tcherepnin for La Princesse lointaine, a play that Edmond Rostand once wrote specifically for the legendary Sarah Bernhardt. As one of the few true heirs to the great Russian music tradition, Tcherepnin not only preserved Tchaikovsky's romantic legacy but also revitalized it in the early 20th century.

Behzod Abduraimov, piano

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Vasily Petrenko, conductor

Nikolai Tcherepnin (1873–1945)

«La Princesse lointaine», prelude to the play by Edmond Rostand (1868-1918) op. 4 (1899) 10'

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B minor op. 23 (1888) 40'

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)

Symphony No. 5 in E minor op. 64 (1888) 50'

130' (including intermission)