Welsh National Opera

Wednesday 1 May 7:30pm

Sibelius Karelia Suite, Op.11
Tchaikovsky Eugene Onegin: The Letter Scene
Sibelius Lemminkäinen Suite, Op.22: The Swan of Tuonela
Sibelius Symphony No.7, Op.105

Kalle Kuusava conductor
Camilla Roberts soprano

WNO Orchestra present three evocative masterpieces by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius in this summer evening concert with fellow Finn, conductor Kalle Kuusava.

Sibelius' works are deeply linked to his homeland, for he was endlessly inspired by its landscape, mythology and language. The Karelia Suite paints a vivid picture of the wild and icy hinterland landscape of the region in north west Finland where the sun barely sets in summer, whilst The Swan of Tuonela hauntingly brings to life the Finnish legend of a mythical swan floating through the realm of the dead with a stunning and unforgettable Cor Anglais solo.

His 7th and final symphony is perhaps his greatest. Scarcely 23 minutes long, it represents the apotheosis of Sibelius' symphonic writing, containing only the most essential elements in a masterpiece of form and structure.

WNO are also joined by Camilla Roberts, a regular soloist with them on stage and in concert, to recreate Tatyana's outpouring of love as she drafts a letter for her beloved in the famous Letter Scene from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin.

Tickets: £16.50, £14.50 concessions

Venue: Dora Stoutzker Hall