Cast
Program notes
Join one of the most revered pianists of his generation, Nicholas Angelich, in a thrilling performance of Beethoven's magnificent "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5 at the gorgeous Seine Musicale just outside Paris. Composed in wartime Vienna during Napoleon's siege, this masterpiece for piano and orchestra was premiered in 1811 by Friedrich Schneider and dedicated to Archduke Rudolf of Austria, benefactor and pupil of Beethoven. Here, the late Nicolas Angelich (1970-2022) gives an magnificent reading of the beloved work alongside maestra Laurence Equilbey, who skillfully conducts her Insula orchestra.
After a heartfelt encore from Schumann's Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) by Angelich, the ensemble returns to the stage to take on one of the most formidable works in the symphonic literature: Beethoven's Seventh. Written just two years after the "Emperor," this rhythmic and intense symphony, with its triumphant outer movements and soul-stirring Allegretto, is one of Beethoven's most beloved, referred to by Richard Wagner as "the apotheosis of dance"…
