One Thousand and One Nights Orchestra | Portuguese Symphony Orchestra

M6 10€

Experience 19th-century exoticism in Faro with the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra and conductor Antonio Pirolli. The programme opens with the Overture to Tannhäuser by Wagner, which synthesises the legend of the troubadour torn between the carnal love of Venus and the redemption of Elisabeth, in a confrontation that Liszt called a "symphonic poem on themes from the opera". The song of the pilgrims and the bacchanal of the goddess create an arc that culminates in the apotheosis of salvation. Next is Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio espagnol: the piece, which began as a fantasy for violin and orchestra, transformed into a prodigy of orchestral virtuosity. The composer himself emphasised that the "variation of timbres" and the "happy choice of melodic designs" are the soul of the piece. Tchaikovsky referred to it as a "colossal masterpiece of instrumentation". The five sections – Alborada, Variazioni, Scene and Gypsy Song, Asturian Fandango – feature a parade of solos for clarinet, violin, flute, horn, and harp. Finally, Scheherazade, the symphonic suite that Rimsky-Korsakov wished to be heard as "an oriental narrative of countless wonders", without a defined programme. The grave theme of the Sultan and the sinuous motif of Scheherazade, entrusted to the solo violin, weave the four movements, leading the listener to a conclusion that, rather than a shipwreck, is a serene epilogue. With Pirolli on the podium, the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra takes the Algarve audience on a journey through a dreamlike East, where orchestral colour and the allure of the exotic meet effortlessly.

Technical details: Portuguese Symphony Orchestra Musical direction - Antonio Pirolli Programme: R. Wagner - Overture to "Tannhäuser" N. Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio espagnol N. Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade