CHEN XIEYANG & VIKTORIA MULLOVA
SUZHOU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
2026.05.15（FRI）19 : 30
inji Lake Concert Hall SCAC
Conductor CHEN Xieyang
Violin Viktoria Mullova
SIBELIUS
Finlandia , Op. 26
Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47
GRIEG
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55
NOTICE TO AUDIENCE
1. DURATION Approximately 90 minutes with a 15-min intermission.
2. SUGGESTED AGE 8 and above.
3. Minimum height for children :1.3m.
Renowned for his majestic orchestral works, Jean Sibelius is Finland’s representative composer and he plays a key role in late Romanticism and nationalist music. When Finland was ruled by Russia Empire in the late 19th century, Sibelius’s music, which is rooted in the country’s landscape and nationalism, deeply touched people’s sense of belonging. First, we have Finlandia, Op. 26. Composed during Finland’s oppression under Tsarist Russia in 1899, this work was first performed under the title Nocturne to get over censorship. With powerful timpani and brass evoking the tension of national crisis and resistance, the music unfolds with its majestic theme. Following the climax, a pure, peaceful melody emerges unexpectedly: it is the theme that later got known as the Finlandia Hymn, representing a deep love for one’s homeland and a desire for independence. Through the intertwined intensity and tenderness, Finlandia agitates the Finnish spirit of awakening and patriotic enthusiasm. Following this is Sibelius’s only violin concerto: Violin Concerto in D Minor. After multiple revisions by the composer in 1905, its premiere in Berlin secured great success, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of the violin repertoire. The concerto combines Nordic characteristics with Romantic lyricism; somehow, a sense of tragic solitude is flowing throughout the piece. The first movement opens with an expressive, expansive theme with its cadenza unfolding like aurora dancing. The Adagio movement features a flowing, melancholic melody that creates an atmosphere of dreamlike lyricism. The finale, Allegro, bursts with dazzling virtuosity and energetic rhythms; its intense dialogue between soloist and orchestra shows us how powerful the dramatic tension can be.
