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‘Tschaikowski,’ St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra visits Beaver Creek

Special to the Daily
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BEAVER CREEK – The “Tschaikowski,” St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra will perform at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

The orchestra has worked in different musical genres and has developed a repertoire that ranges from the baroque compositions by Vivaldi, Bach and Handel to contemporary compositions by Schnitke, Banshikov, Desyatnikov and Kancheli. The orchestra is at home in the works of famous Russian romantic composers (Tschaikowski and Rachmaninoff) as well as the classical composers of the 20th century (Honegger, Poulenc, Hindemith and Stravinsky).

Under the baton of conductor Roman Leontiev, the “Tschaikowski,” St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra’s concert at VPAC will include the famous “Scheherazade” by Rimsky-Korsakov, Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2”, and Prokofiev’s “Piano Concerto No. 1.”



With a triple repetition that provides a unity in this incisive work, Prokofiev’s “Piano Concerto No. 1,” is a powerful and moving piece performed by famed pianist Alexandre Pirojenko. In a Washington Post review: “Pirojenko was an exceptionally assured and incisive soloist in the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1. With a sense of momentum that never felt rushed or out of balance, he offered an articulate and musical reading of a piece that is often a showcase for mere speed and power.”

A colorful and exotic piece that truly tells a story from beginning to end, “Scheherazade” is considered one of Rimsky-Korsakov’s last important purely orchestral works.

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The orchestral complement of “Scheherazade” consists of pairs of woodwinds with added piccolo and English horn, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, harp and the usual string choir, as well as an array of percussion instruments, including, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, tambourine, cymbals, triangle and tam-tam.

A one act ballet, “Daphnis et Chloe” has been described as Ravel’s masterpiece. The work was commissioned by the famous Russian ballet impresario Diaghilev and premiered at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on June 8, 1912. Suite No. 2 contains the music of the third and final scene from the ballet that magically transitions from a dazzling yet delicate flute solo to a large orchestra finale with all of its colors and rhythmic possibilities.

Tickets for the “Tschaikowski,” St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra are $65 and are available online at vilarpac.org, by phone at 888-920-ARTS(2787) or in person at the VPAC Box Office in Beaver Creek and Marketplace Box Office in Vail Village.


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