Read the program book for The Rite of Spring & Kavakos, Nov 16-19, 2023.
On Thursday night in Orchestra Hall, soloist Leonidas Kavakos showcased his expressive and virtuosic style as he joined the CSO and guest conductor Philippe Jordan for an arresting performance of Szymanowski’s folkloric Second Violin Concerto. The evening began with Mussorgsky’s St. John’s Night on the Bare Mountain — in which the Orchestra painted a vivid musical portrait of a witches’ sabbath — and ended with an emphatic standing ovation after Stravinsky’s legendary ballet score The Rite of Spring, a striking portrayal of an ancient pagan ritual.
Photography by Nuccio DiNuzzo