Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Vladimir Jurowski

Ever since Sara Abazari first drew attention to herself during Holy Week 2023 with a short but impressive work—a musical commentary on Haydn’s biblical paraphrase “The Seven Last Words”—the desire to discover more of her music has been growing.

Alongside her is Leonard Bernstein, whose Violin Concerto based on Plato’s “Symposium”—performed by the outstanding Russian-American violinist Maria Ioudenitch—becomes a passionate plea for the power of love in times of threat and uncertainty.

Richard Strauss would likely have agreed with this idea, as he was a lifelong advocate for the works of other composers. His symphonic poem “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” based on Nietzsche and clothed in that overwhelmingly late-Romantic soundscape that Strauss bestowed upon it, continues to unfold its full impact in every symphony concert to this day.

Cast

• Vladimir Jurowski, conductor
• Maria Ioudenitch, violin
• Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra

Program

Sara Abazari

New Work for Orchestra (Commissioned by the RSB)

(World premiere)

Leonard Bernstein

Serenade based on Plato’s “Symposium” for violin, strings, harp, and percussion

Richard Strauss

“Thus Spoke Zarathustra”—tone poem freely based on Friedrich Nietzsche, Op. 30

Note:

• Concert introduction: 7:10 p.m., Ludwig van Beethoven Hall, Steffen Georgi