Dvořák's Symphony No. 8

A fresh breeze sweeps through Amare tonight as the Brazilian-Swiss conductor Eduardo Strausser makes his debut with the Residentie Orkest. An energetic conductor, Strausser seems to channel music through every fibre of his being. Together with star cellist Julian Steckel, he presents an evening full of unexpected nuances and contrasts: warm, compelling and – above all – driven by irresistible musicianship.

Rossini opens the programme with the sparkling overture to La Cenerentola, a light-hearted comedy in orchestral form, full of rhythmic flair and dazzling ensemble brilliance. This is followed by Shostakovich’s fascinating Cello Concerto No. 1, a compact masterpiece in which rough-edged humour and raw intensity alternate – a fierce scherzo, a sorrowful elegy and a chilling finale. Finally, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 evokes the full beauty of nature in sound, from birdsong in the woodwinds and sunlit Bohemian melodies to a finale that crackles with joie de vivre. Under Strausser's direction, this promises to be a captivating evening.