Orchestral romance this month

The Symphony Orchestra of India’s (SOI) eight celebrity concert season kicks off at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA ) today, with the theme of love and romance.

The Symphony Orchestra of India’s (SOI) eight celebrity concert season kicks off at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA ) today, with the theme of love and romance. The season, which runs from February 9 to February 19, features works mainly from the romantic era.

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The opening concert of the season will feature two Concerti for violin, piano and strings by Chausson and Mendelssohn, presenting Marat Bisengaliev as violin soloist, joined by Jania Aubakirova on the piano. Aubakirova, a highly respected piano pedagogue, makes her debut in India with the SOI.

Evgeny Bushov makes his debut in India as a guest conductor of the second concert, while the third concert, on February 16, will see the return of Johannes Wildner who presented Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in 2007. Resident Conductor, Zane Dalal will conduct the season finale. Seventeen of the 93 musicians in the orchestra are Indian.

Khushroo N Suntook, chairman, NCPA and chairman, SOI, says: “The SOI has matured into an international class orchestra, ready to perform highly complex music works. This season will stand testimony to that fact.”

SOI music director Marat Bisengaliev, adds: “I am thrilled at the way we are advancing in terms of quality and our repertoire each season. This time, it will be interesting to see conductors Bushov and Wildner’s interpretation of classic romantic works such as Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 Pathétique — pieces that have proved to be real tests for young orchestras world over.”