Mario Brunello plays and leads Saint-Saëns' Cello Concerto No. 1

Mario Brunello joins the philharmonie zuidnederland as soloist and conductor. Saint-Saëns' lyrical First cello concerto will be heard alongside Tchaikovsky's Mozartiana.

Mario Brunello in Saint-Saëns

The philharmonie zuidnederland and cellist Mario Brunello: it is a tried and praised combination. Today the Italian is present in a double role: as soloist and conductor. Among other things, he plays Saint-Saëns' extraordinary First Cello Concerto. In just one movement, Saint-Saëns allows cello and orchestra to tell a lyrical story. Not opposite, but with each other, and thus eminently suitable for a conductor who plays along.

Tchaikovsky

Brunello additionally leads an orchestral suite by Tchaikovsky, the Mozartiana. Tchaikovsky was a great admirer of Mozart; he even once called him the "Christ of music. In the Fourth Orchestral Suite, Tchaikovsky incorporated and arranged four not very well-known themes by Mozart. This was on the occasion of the then centennial of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni, the overture of which will be heard this morning.