Name: Symphony Concert The Explorer Kanneh-Mason - Dresden Philharmonic - Manze
Start: 2026-05-23T19:00:00
Location: Palace of Culture

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Andrew Manze

Dresdner Philharmonie

Mozart and Korngold are separated by a century and a half, but both fascinated the musical world as prodigies in their time. In his "Sinfonia concertante," Mozart features four wind instruments - oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon - playing together and against each other. This sonic diversity creates exciting dialogues between the instruments, as they compete with each other but also harmonize perfectly. The solo parts are performed by wind players from the Dresden Philharmonic. The second work of the evening, Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Symphony in F sharp major, takes us into a completely different world. Korngold, known for his film compositions, creates opulent soundscapes in this symphony, filled with passion and drama. The symphony is full of energy, profound emotions, and a captivating blend of classical musical language and the grand cinematic elements that characterize the composer. The concert is conducted by Eun Sun Kim, known for her precise and passionate conducting, making her debut on the podium of our orchestra.

Mozart and Korngold

Palace of Culture

Bach's Third Brandenburg Concerto is full of charm and virtuosic lightness. Fast, playful rhythms and tension-filled exchanges between the strings and the continuo ensure pure listening pleasure. With a Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, also known as the "Jeunehomme Concerto," Mozart demonstrates his genius in handling the piano as a solo instrument: The first movement begins with a powerful dialogue between the orchestra and the soloist, setting the tone for the entire concerto. Particularly in the second movement, Mozart's ability to lead melodies is evident, while the finale creates a lively and spirited atmosphere. In addition to these highlights of the Baroque and Classical periods, the premiere of a short piece by the sixteen-year-old Georgian composer Tsotne Zedginidze will be performed in this concert by the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, with Zedginidze also appearing as a soloist on the piano.

Brandenburg Concert

What does one do when they meet good friends in a foreign land? Exactly! They make music together! This was also the case for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when he reunited with four friends from Mannheim in Paris in 1778. The result was a piece between a symphony and a concerto, with many solos and beautiful passages for the orchestra. But wait! Our cheeky meerkat girl Phili has taken a closer look at the matter! And there is a big mystery to solve: Who were these musical friends? Did Mozart really write this composition? In the end, it all comes down to simply enjoying good music. And that's what matters most - right?

phil to explore ...with Mozart in Paris

Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major is probably the most excitingly orchestrated concerto for a solo instrument with orchestra. Cheerful and brilliant at the same time, it has been a favorite work of concert audiences since its premiere in 1932. It begins furiously with a crack of a whip, created by two pieces of wood connected by a hinge and struck together. The second, slow movement is often referred to as one of the most beautiful 'Songs without Words' in music history. It is embedded in the surreal circus atmosphere of the first movement with hints of Ravel's Basque homeland, blues and jazz souvenirs from his trips to America, and the rapid finale in the style of a perpetuum mobile. "La valse" by Ravel probably needs no description - the symphonic waltz is one of the most popular works of the 20th century and regularly excites the audience. The Concerto for Orchestra by the Polish composer Witold Lutosławski can also arouse enthusiasm. It was premiered with great success in Warsaw in 1954 and is the last work in which Lutosławski uses folkloric elements. With it, the composer has said everything he had to say in this musical language...

Ravel "La Valse"

The organ is an instrument that for many creates a sense of reverent silence in churches rather than enjoyable music. But in this concert, it shows how versatile and modern the organ can be! Poulenc was a French composer who liked to play with musical contrasts: sacred meets secular, serious meets playful. His concert begins almost like a meditation - dark and mysterious - and suddenly the music breaks into lively, almost dance-like rhythms. The other piece, just recently composed for the organ in the famous Royal Albert Hall in London, captivates the listeners. It is a journey through moods and sounds that showcases the organ at its most exciting. Lean back and let yourself be surprised - maybe today you will discover your new favorite instrument!

abgeFRACKt: Roaring Whistles

Our concert hall organ, the "orchestra in one instrument," is at the center of Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto - a work full of contrasts. Sometimes deeply serious, almost sacred, then surprisingly playful, Poulenc combines tradition and modernity in a fascinating way. The soloist of the evening, Anna Lapwood, one of the most exciting organists of her generation, impresses with her virtuosity and her ability to engage people with classical music.

Lapwood with Poulenc

Sergei Rachmaninov's First Piano Sonata, created in Dresden, is one of the great works he composed in our city. He was inspired by Goethe's "Faust" and assigned one of the main characters to each of the three movements: Faust, Gretchen, and Mephisto. The piece marks the beginning of another evening in our series "Stars at the Piano", featuring none other than Artist in Residence Boris Giltburg. Following the sonata is an arrangement for piano of Prokofiev's ballet music "Romeo and Juliet" – an opportunity for Giltburg to present the tragic and tender moments of the famous love story with compelling clarity. Ravel's "Gaspard de la nuit", the third work of the evening, is inspired by dark poetry and pushes the limits of what is possible on the piano with its dream-like and devilishly difficult passages. The highly acclaimed pianist demonstrates in this recital why he is considered one of the outstanding musicians of his generation. By invitation of the Dresden Philharmonic in cooperation with DK Deutsche Klassik.

Giltburg with Rachmaninov

Under the direction of Michael Sanderling, Dmitri Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony will be performed on the Dresden Memorial Day, a work deeply influenced by the experiences and traumas of the Stalin era. In it, Shostakovich processes darkness, pain, and hope that wrestle with each other in a very unique way. South African artist William Kentridge has created a film titled "Oh To Believe in Another World" for this piece, which interprets Shostakovich's symphony in a fascinating manner. With his characteristic collages, animations, and drawings, Kentridge takes a poetic look at the themes of loss and longing that resonate in the music. Music and film merge into a unique work of art that connects remembrance and art, while also forming a final accent of the Kentridge focus of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden 2025 (with exhibitions at the Albertinum, Kupferstich-Kabinett, and in the Puppet Theater Collection).

Kentridge and Shostakovich

Creating a film to accompany a symphony is something special, after all, classical music is something abstract and leaves a lot of room for associations. But perhaps that is precisely the key. William Kentridge, to whom the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden have dedicated a focus in 2025, had plenty of associations with Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony and turned them into an impressive film for a visually-acoustic experience. Michael Sanderling, who enjoys an excellent reputation as a Shostakovich specialist, conducts this symphony while Kentridge's film is simultaneously shown on the big screen.

Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 – also known as the New World Symphony – is one of the most popular works of classical music. Why? Because it goes straight to the heart! Dvořák wrote it in the USA, when he heard the sounds of spirituals and music of the indigenous population for the first time. He mixed these influences with his unmistakable style full of melodies that you can't get out of your head. The symphony takes you on a journey: from the longing English horn solo in the second movement, which sounds like a memory of home, to the thrilling finale that exudes pure spirit of adventure. And if you listen closely, you may even discover the film music that was later inspired by this symphony – from "Jaws" to "Star Wars"!

 Short & Casual The Curious One abgeFRACKt: New World

Alma Mahler's Seven Songs immediately lead us into the world of the turn of the century: emotions between melancholy and hope, set to music with a deep, almost intimate expressiveness. In the arrangement for medium voice and orchestra, they unfold a sonic dimension that both touches and inspires. On the other hand, Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, known as "From the New World," is quite different. It bridges the gap between two continents and pours the impressions of a life in foreign America into grand symphonic arches. Longing sounds here like a distant memory, pulsating yet full of vastness. Dvořák's famous English horn theme, often referred to as the "Song of the Lonely Wanderer," captivates as much as the dynamic contrasts between drama and delicate lyricism. An evening that explores completely different soundscapes – and shows how diverse musical longing can sound.

From the New World

In the Octet in F major, Franz Schubert showcases his entire artistry. It combines lightness and depth, dance-like rhythms and intimate melodies that sound like a familiar conversation among friends. He was inspired by the famous septet of his predecessor Beethoven, but created something entirely unique: music that sounds like a great adventure, where each voice - from the string quartet to the clarinet, bassoon, and horn - brings its own character.

Schubert Octet

At the center of the concert is the outstanding cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and works that highlight the versatility and radiance of English music through the centuries. Edmund Finnis' "Hymn", originally part of his string quartet "Aloysius" and arranged here for string orchestra, is inspired by William Byrd's setting of the hymn "Christe, qui lux es et dies". The music reflects the rising and setting of sunlight and combines the spiritual depth of the 16th century with Finnis' own musical language. With his cello concerto - a European premiere - Finnis explores the colorful range of expression of the cello in connection with a lively orchestral sound. William Lawes' "The Sunrise", a work from the English Early Baroque, captures the beauty and symbolism of a sunrise. Arthur Bliss' "A Colour Symphony" is finally inspired by the symbolic meanings of different colors. Here, musical and visual layers merge into a multifaceted interpretation of color and sound. Concert as part of the Dresden Music Festival.