Teatro Filarmonico di Verona: Strauss' Metamorphosen

About the Event

Experience the sublime harmonies of classical music by luminaries Richard Strauss, Leos Janacek, and Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov at the esteemed Teatro Filarmonico in Verona. The symphonic season of Fondazione Arena di Verona kicks off with an exclusive event celebrating the Arena Orchestra's string section. Conducted by the prodigious 25‐year‐old Riccardo Bisatti from Novara, recognized among the top influential “40under40s” in Italian culture, the evening presents three distinct 20th‐century compositions. The highlight of the performance is Strauss’s profound late work, composed amidst the ruins of post‐WWII Germany—a study‐elegy for 23 strings that evolves skillfully to unveil a hidden motif from Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony’s funeral march.

The evening also features a seldom‐performed Suite for Strings by Czech composer Janáček. This piece, from the first half of the 20th century, is notable for its originality and stands as a polished early composition reflecting Bohemian musical heritage. At the heart of the night’s repertoire is another rare piece, Glazunov’s Concerto for Alto Sax and Strings, performed by virtuoso saxophonist Gaetano Di Bacco. This distinctive concerto, penned in 1934, bridges lyricism and virtuosic flair, showcasing the newer sounds introduced by the alto sax in classical music.