Our opening concert has it all, with the world renowned double bassist Leon Bosch joining us to perform a concerto, a world premiere symphony and Stravinsky’s boundary-pushing ballet, Petrushka - famous for its bold and beautiful sounds, thrilling melodies, and vibrant characters.

WSO: Strings & Shadows

Wrexham University

After a sombre opening, the overture to Mozart’s most enduring opera skips off in a gleeful, fugal allegro and is notable for the brilliant use of counterpoint and dynamic contrasts. More of a suite than a concerto, Václav Trojan’s Fairy Tales is full of appealing and catchy melodies. The seven short movements each describe a fairy-tale character, such as the sleeping princess, the charming prince and the evil dragon. Thomas de Hartmann’s charming vignettes also delve into the rich heritage of folklore. Having read Dante’s epic poem The Divine Comedy, an episode from the Inferno section fired Tchaikovsky’s imagination: the tale of Francesca, a young woman from Rimini who has been condemned to eternal damnation because of an illicit love affair. After an unsettling introduction, he vividly depicts the driving winds of Hell before the music dies away to a whisper and a pathetic theme on solo clarinet launches Francesca’s tale before building in a long crescendo of passion.

de Hartmann

Events

Upcoming events

Mar 26, 2025

Fairytales and Folklore · Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Past events

Nov 17, 2024

WSO: Strings & Shadows · Theatr Clwyd

About

de Hartmann hasn't added a bio