CONCERT PROGRAMME
E. Elgar. Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85
R. Strauss. “A Hero's Life”, Op. 40
Every year, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra's birthday concerts usually turn into an impressive gift to listeners. On the occasion of its 36th birthday, the ensemble founded and led by maestro Gintaras Rinkevičius, invites you to hear the star of the classical elite, French cellist Gautier Capuçon. The performer, who is titled the ambassador of the cello of the 21st century, performs with the world's most famous symphony orchestras and conductors, such as Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Andrès Orozco-Estrada, Pablo Heras-Casado, Paavo Jarvi, Klaus Mäkelä, Andris Nelsons, Christian Thielemann and others. In the 2024–2025 season alone, G. Capuçon has already performed at the Berlin and Paris Philharmonics, the Vienna Musikverein, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, London Wigmore Hall and other prestigious concert halls. It is a great joy to hear the famous cellist at the LSSO Concert Hall in Vilnius this January.
In addition to his intensive concert activities, the multi-award winning international performer is deeply committed to education and support for young musicians from different backgrounds. In 2022, G. Capuçon established a foundation in his name to support young talents. The cellist is a passionate ambassador for the Orchestre à l'École association, which brings classical music to more than 42,000 French children every year. G. Capuçon plays a 1701 cello made by the Venetian master Matteo Goffriller, with which he shall also perform tonight the Cello Concerto in E minor by the British composer Edward Elgar (1857–1934). This is a cornerstone piece in the cello repertoire, encompassing everything a performer can dream of – from heady themes to stormy mood swings.
In the second part of the concert, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by artistic director and chief conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius, will perform the six-movement symphonic poem “The Life of a Hero” by German composer Richard Strauss (1864–1949). In the autobiographical work written in 1898, R. Strauss reviews his entire life, using musical quotes from his most significant works.