Schostakowitsch Festival - Festivalorchester, MDR-Rundfunkchor, Andris Nelsons & Anna Rakitina

In the organizer's words:

As part of the Shostakovich Festival 2025, you can expect powerful performances of Shostakovich's symphonies, which are among the most remarkable political and music-historical works of the 20th century. Conducted by Andris Nelsons and Anna Rakitina, the festival orchestra and the MDR Radio Choir unite in an impressive performance.

The concert begins with the 2nd Symphony in B major op. 14, a powerful work "To October", which Shostakovich composed to mark the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution. This is followed by the 3rd Symphony in E flat major op. 20, "To May Day", which comes to life in a bombastic ceremony to celebrate Socialist Workers' Day.

After the interval, you will hear the groundbreaking Symphony No. 1 in F minor op. 10, Shostakovich's masterpiece, which he wrote at the end of his studies and became a symbol of the transition from tradition to modernity.