Mikhail Pletnev, Kristine Balanas and the Concerto Budapest

Mikhail Pletnev became famous as a virtuoso pianist about four and a half decades ago. However, he has also been internationally acknowledged as a conductor and composer for some time. On this occasion, the audience will encounter the Russian musician as a conductor and composer who is a regular returning guest of Concerto Budapest. His Concerto for Violin will be heard at the heart of the programme. Its soloist will be Kristīne Balanas, who has participated successfully in different competitions, and who was a student of the Hungarian violinist George Pauk. Alexander Glazunov’s Suite in E major from 1902 will be performed as the first piece of the concert. It is no wonder that its subtitle is “From the Middle Ages”, since this four-movement work cites a troubadour serenade, a crusade, and the danse macabre associated with the Dies Irae motif. Finally, Tchaikovsky’s unnumbered program symphony will be played, which was inspired by Byron and premiered in 1886 in Moscow. The composer, who was always anxious even when there was no reason to be, assessed the performance as follows: “The premiere of the Manfred Symphony went absolutely fine. Still, I was of the impression that the audience was not able to grasp it, and received it in a cool and indifferent way. As a result, not even the ovation could rid me of this feeling at the end of the concert.”