Bruch Violin Concerto

The evening

The evening opens with ‘Vltava’ from Smetana’s Má Vlast – an evocative orchestral picture of the river that flows through Prague, filled with ebbing and flowing woodwind and strings. Next, Esther Yoo joins the Orchestra for Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1, a work that unleashes the full spectrum of the violin, from beautiful melodies to astounding virtuosity, the perfect showcase for Yoo’s mesmerising playing, which has been likened to ‘taking her audience into an enchanted garden’. Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture then depicts the Scottish scenery at Fingal’s Cave with mysteriously intense melodies and calmer passages, capturing both stormy tides and still waters. Completing the programme are selections from one of the best-loved ballets, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, which radiates both lyricism and elegance.