Two works of incredible emotion and orchestral power will close our must-see Masterworks season in May. Elgar’s Enigma Variations is a great showpiece for orchestra with each variation portraying one of his own friends through vivid musical character sketches. The mysterious “Enigma” theme, never fully revealed, adds a layer of suspense and intrigue to the work’s emotional range and rich orchestration. Dvořák’s Cello Concerto is a powerful and lyrical masterpiece, performed by acclaimed American cellist Julie Albers, principal with the world-class St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. This masterpiece blends Bohemian folk influences with sweeping Romantic expression, and showcases the cello’s full emotional and technical range which is regarded as one of the greatest concertos ever written for the instrument.
David Stewart Wiley, conductor
Julie Albers, cello
Edward Elgar: “Enigma” Variations, Op. 36
Antonio Dvořak: Cello Concerto Op. 104 in B minor
