Vasily Petrenko embraces works by a broad spectrum of composers, from Beethoven and Brahms to Ives and Shostakovich, in his season’s second half
Conductor makes landmark debuts at Dutch National Opera and with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with new staging of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov
Lights in the Dark London series with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra probes enduring works written under the shadow of war or dictatorial regimes
‘The [RPO’s] game has been lifted to new levels by the arrival of Vasily Petrenko
as music director,’ Observer, 17 February 2024
Vasily Petrenko’s engaging 2024-25 season is set to unfold next year with the launch of his latest series as Music Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. Lights in the Dark will explore the many ways in which composers have responded to the existential threat of war and the untold suffering unleashed by oppressive regimes. The programme opens on 26 January with Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5 ‘Emperor’, with Paul Lewis as soloist, and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. It continues with three movements from Korngold’s The Sea Hawk Suite, Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, with Bruce Liu as soloist, and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra (23 March), followed by the intriguing mix of Sibelius’s Finlandia, Weill’s Four Walt Whitman Songs, with baritone Roderick Williams OBE, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No.7 ‘Leningrad’ (27 April).
Lights in the Dark concludes on 25 June with Dorothy Howell’s symphonic poem Lamia, written at the end of the First World War, and Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement, presented in company with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4. “Lamia is a fantastic piece of music in a late-Romantic style,” observes Vasily Petrenko. “The Tchaikovsky explores life and death, the place of the composer, the place of the human in the great cycle of time; in the end, life and humanity triumph.”
Petrenko and the RPO will leave London at the end of January to undertake an extensive tour of central Europe. Their programme comprises major symphonic works by Bartók, Brahms, Dvořák and Mussorgsky together with the violin concertos of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius, with Julia Fischer as soloist. The tour begins on 30 January at Vienna’s Konzerthaus and proceeds to the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg (31 January), Hanover’s Kuppelsaal (1 February), the Cologne Philharmonie (2 February), Dusseldorf’s Tonhalle (3 February), Munich’s Isarphilharmonie (4 February), LiederhalleStuttgart (6 February), Rosengarten Mannheim (7 February), Freiburg’s Konzerthaus (8 February), and Frankfurt Opera (9 February). Closer to home, Petrenko will lead the RPO on tour to the Royal Festival Hall in Nottingham and Symphony Hall, Birmingham (27 & 29 March) in performances of Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, with Esther Yoo, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No.5.
In addition to his work with the RPO, Petrenko is set to make his debut at Dutch National Opera and with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in six performances of Boris Godunov. Mussorgsky’s opera, scheduled to open on 10 June and run until 29 June, will be presented in a new staging by the Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov. “I am delighted to join Dutch National Opera for this fresh look at Mussorgsky’s great work,” notes Vasily Petrenko. “Although I’ve performed Boris several times before, including at Bavarian State Opera last year, this will be my first new production. Dutch National Opera is one of the world’s most diverse opera companies, so the staging will involve people from many different backgrounds. I’m also looking forward to my first meeting with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, especially in Mussorgsky’s incredible score, which was so ahead of its time.”
Petrenko’s schedule comprises a rich and varied diet of guest conducting dates. He begins the new year in the company of student players, working with the National Youth Orchestra of Spain or JONDE (12-20 January) and the Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra in London (23 January). “It is my passion to work with young musicians as often as possible,” he notes. “I conducted JONDE many years ago and it was a special experience to be on tour with them.” His visit to the RCM marks the start of a long-term strategy to unite the conservatoire’s young conductors with its student orchestra. “No amount of conducting with piano can replace this experience of working with an orchestra,” he observes. “The Royal College wants to see more opportunities like this in future, as it will help the next generation of conductors as well as the young orchestral players.”
Vasily Petrenko revisits the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra after an eight-year absence to conduct William Walton’s spectacular cantata Belshazzar’s Feast, with Nathan Berg and the mighty Atlanta Symphony Chorus, together with Sibelius’s Symphony No.1 (13 & 15 February). He remains stateside for performances with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., opening with Liadov’s symphonic poem Kikimora and Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No.1 with Tchaikovsky Competition prize winner Edgar Moreau. The programme closes with Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony (20, 22 & 23 February). “I find something new in Manfred every time I come back to it,” he observes. “It will be fascinating to see how the National Symphony Orchestra has developed under my good friend Gianandrea Noseda. I’ve heard many good things about them.”
Back in Europe, Petrenko will open his concert with the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin with the Four Sea Interludes from Britten’s Peter Grimes. Their programme presents Ravel’s song-cycle Shéhérazade in company with Rimsky-Korsakov’s symphonic suite Sheherazade (1 March). He then travels to Geneva to conduct the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Prokofiev’s mighty Sinfonia-Concertante for cello and orchestra, with Kian Soltani, and Brahms’s Symphony No.1 (5, 6 & 7 March). Petrenko’s work with the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra continues with a programme comprising the Adagio from Mahler’s Symphony No.10 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No.4 (5 & 6 April), followed by performances with the George Enescu Philharmonic, where he will conduct Mahler’s Symphony No.2 on 16 and 17 April.
Vasily Petrenko’s season ends with his return to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra as its Conductor Emeritus (3 July).“It’s always great to be back with them,”he comments. According to Google Maps Timeline, the conductor visited 93 cities in 29 countries last year and travelled the equivalent of 4.5 times round the world. “I think I might beat that by the time I reach Liverpool next summer! This is a really exciting season for me.”
www.vasilypetrenkomusic.com – Facebook – Instagram
JONDE (Spanish National Youth Orchestra) SPANISH TOUR 12 – 20 JANUARY 2025
Sunday 12 January Pamplona, Tuesday 14 January Burgos, Thursday 16 January Santander, Friday 17 January Zaragoza, & Monday 20 January Madrid
Darius Le Bœuf sur le toit
Ravel Daphnis et Chloé Suite No.1&2
Bartók Concerto for Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko conductor | National Youth Orchestra of Spain (JONDE)
Thursday 23 January 2025, 7:30pm
Royal College of Music, London
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra
Sunday 26 January 2025, 3:00pm
Royal Festival Hall, London
Berg Three Pieces for Orchestra
Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5 “Emperor“
Stravinsky The Rite of Spring
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Paul Lewis piano | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
RPO CENTRAL EUROPEAN TOUR 30 JANUARY – 9 FEBRUARY 2025 (with soloist Julia Fischer)
Thursday 30 January Vienna, Friday 31 January Hamburg, Saturday 1 February Hanover, Sunday 2 February Cologne, Monday 3 February Dusseldorf, Tuesday 4 February Munich, Thursday 6 February Stuttgart, Friday 7 February Mannheim, Saturday 8 February Freiburg & Sunday 9 February Frankfurt.
Thursday 13 February 2025, 8:00pm
Saturday 15 February 2025, 8:00pm
Atlanta Symphony Hall, Atlanta
Walton Belshazzar’s Feast
Sibelius Symphony No.1
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Nathan Berg baritone | Atlanta Symphony Orchestra | Atlanta Symphony Chorus
Thursday 20 February 2025, 7:00pm
Saturday 22 February 2025, 8:00pm
Sunday 23 February 2025, 3:00pm
The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
Liadov Kikimora
Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No.1
Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Edgar Moreau cello | National Symphony Orchestra
Saturday 1 March 2025, 8:00pm
Konzerthaus, Berlin
Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Ravel Shéhérazade
Rimsky-Korsakov Sheherazade
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Véronique Gens mezzo-soprano | Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Wednesday 5 March 2025, 7:30pm
Thursday 6 March 2025, 7:30pm
Friday 7 March 2025, 7:30pm
Victoria Hall, Geneva
Prokofiev Sinfonia-Concertante for cello and orchestra
Brahms Symphony No.1
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Kian Soltani cello | Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Sunday 23 March 2025, 7:30pm
Royal Festival Hall, London
Korngold The Sea Hawk Suite (three movements)
Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Bartók Concerto for Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Bruce Liu piano | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Thursday 27 March 2025, 7:30pm
Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
Saturday 29 March 2025, 7:30pm
Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture
Bruch Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor
Prokofiev Symphony No.5
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Esther Yoo violin | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Saturday 5 April 2025, 7:30pm
Sunday 6 April 2025, 7:30pm
Kulutrpalast Concert Hall, Dresden
Mahler Symphony No.10 Adagio
Shostakovich Symphony No.4
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra
Wednesday 16 April 2025, 7:00pm
Thursday 17 April 2025, 7:00pm
Mahler Symphony No.2
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Katerina Knezíkova soprano | Roxana Constantinescu mezzo-soprano| George Enescu Philharmonic
Sunday 27 April 2025, 3:00pm
Royal Festival Hall, London
Sibelius Finlandia
Weill Four Walt Whitman Songs
Shostakovich Symphony No.7 “Leningrad”
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Roderick Williams OBE baritone | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Nationale Opera & Ballet
10, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29 June 2025
Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage, Amsterdam
Mussorgsky Boris Godunov
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Kirill Serebrennikov director, set & costume designer | Tomasz Konieczny Boris Godunov | Inna Demenkova Xenia | Ya-Chung Huang Prince Vasili Ivanovich Shuisky | Dmitry Cheblykov Andrei Schelkalov | Vitalij Kowaljow Pimen | Najmiddin Mavlyanov Grigory | Raehann Bryce-Davis Marina Mnishek | Gevorg Hakobyan Rangoni | Shenyang Varlaam | Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | Chorus of Dutch National Opera | Nieuw Amsterdams Children’s Chorus (part of Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam)
Wednesday 25 June 2025, 7:30pm
Royal Festival Hall, London
Howell Lamia
Price Piano Concerto in One Movement
Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Jeneba Kanneh-Mason piano | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Thursday 3 July 2025, 7:30pm
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Weinberg Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes
Shostakovich Suite for Variety Orchestra
Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4
Vasily Petrenko conductor | Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra