Opening with two chords of seismic power, Beethoven’s groundbreaking “Eroica” Symphony redefined the 19th-century symphony as a musical odyssey of vast emotional scope. Battles rage and harmonies clash with wild abandon as Beethoven channels the turbulent world around him, confronting grief and despair before ending in a heroic blaze of glory.
Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki opens the evening with two orchestral poems by her homeland’s musical hero, Sibelius. En Saga pays tribute to Finland’s rich history of mythic storytelling, while Finlandia stands as a testament to the Finnish people’s strength in their quest for independence from Imperial Russia. “We fought 600 years for our freedom,” Sibelius wrote, “and Finlandia is the story of this fight. It is the song of our battle, our hymn of victory.”