The Philadelphia Orchestra Yannick Nézet-Séguin Music Director

Mendelssohn wrote his Second Piano Concerto right after he got married and there's plenty of joy expressed, especially in the final movement, which the composer himself described as “piano fireworks.” He was the soloist at the premiere in 1837. The young French pianist Lise de la Salle (“For much of the concert, the audience had to remember to breathe…” –The Washington Post) is a riveting choice to interpret this concerto. Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique is a tour de force of compositional color, a breakthrough that set the stage for his most assured writing. While said to depict the opium-inspired visions of a lovesick young artist, the music needs no libretto to communicate its passion. Who better to lead this celebration of youthful intensity than the ageless Herbert Blomstedt!