On September 16, at 6 p.m., the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra will open its 143rd concert season in the "Lielais dzintars" concert hall. The evening's special guest will be the Israeli prodigy, pianist Yoav Levanon.
Initially, the Czech pianist Lukāš Vondráček was scheduled to perform at the concert, but due to health problems, his visit to Liepāja is not possible.
Levanon's performance at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris was highly praised by a critic in Diapason: “Yoav Levanon is not only a stunning virtuoso. His assertive interpretative choices already make him an authentic musician, who has everything to become one of the major pianists of this century.”
At the beginning of 2021, Yoav Levanon took part in a filmed project with Daniel Barenboim and soon after he signed an exclusive recording agreement with Warner Classics. His debut album A Monument for Beethoven with the label was released in May 2022. It attracted great attention from reviewers worldwide and garnered many excellent reviews.
Together with the Israeli pianist Yoav Levanon at the opening concert of the 143rd concert season, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and its chief conductor Guntis Kuzma will take the audience on an emotional journey from darkness to light, from despair to hope: the triumph over psychological crisis experienced by himself and the return to artistic endeavour is the theme of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No.2.
The music is expressive and passionate, sophisticated and poetic, and the Piano Concerto No.2 is one of composer's most popular works full of memorable melodies and grand orchestration.
The concert programme also features the Concerto for Orchestra by the Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski.
Mr.Lutoslawski is one of the most prominent European composers of the 20th century, and also one of the most influential Polish musicians. He has received countless awards, including Poland's highest award, the Order of the White Eagle.
Along with the two foreign greats, the programme will feature the prominent Liepāja cultural worker and composer Agris Engelmanis, whose choral songs have been performed numerous times at the Nationwide Latvian Song Festival, while his music composed for the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra was also played at the Liepāja Concert Hall “Great Amber” opening concert on 6 November 2015.
Tickets for the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra concerts can be purchased at “Biļešu paradīze” ticket offices.
The Concert is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, the State Cultural Capital Foundation and Liepāja City.
