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Five centuries since Luther nailed his 95 theses in the door of the Wittenberg cathedral, the Christian world (not only the Evangelic one) honors the reformer who stood up against the status quo of the religious order in his era. Rationally, the Athens State Orchestra presents the Mendelson’s Symphony which is directly inspired by Luther’s figure, completing the program with Shostakovich’s dramatic 5th Symphony, a composition equally bounded to the need of reform -in another, certainly, historic time and place.

“Nosferatu” is not just a great creation of the silent German expressionism, but also the first horror movie in the history of the Seventh Art - according to many, also the best. James Bernard’s plethoric musical accompaniment of the film is of a similar strength with Friedrich Murnau’s eerie frames and will be interpreted by the Athens State Orchestra under the baton of its Director, Stefanos Tsialis, for all loyal cinephiles!

Only about a few pieces one could implicitly say that they changed the flow of music. Among them, Berlioz’s “Fantastic Symphony” prevails as an unchangeable model of how free artistic inspiration creates new form perspectives. Its interpretation is signed by the internationally acknowledged conductor Giorgos Petrou, along with the premiere for Greece of the Julian Suite, composed by the always charming composer, Filippos Tsalahouris. Wolton’s sensational Concerto for viola is interpreted by one of the most distinguished viola soloists, Tatjana Masurenko.

The great pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja doesn’t need special references; each one of her appearances throughout the world is always a significant musical event. The Athens State Orchestra, with respect and pleasure, welcomes her as soloist in the “Parthenon” of piano concertos, Beethoven’s 4th. The Artistic Director of the Orchestra, Stefanos Tsialis, conducts Schubert’s famous “Unfinished” Symphony as well as the Images for orchestra, composed by the emblematic for the Greek vanguard composer, Nikos Skalkotas.

Glazunov and Tchaikovsky “depict” with the most intense and vivid timbres the Russian fall and winter respectively, giving prominence not only to the particular sensation of each season, but also to the way these inflame the full of passions Russian soul. These passions, denuded of any superficial embellishment, come to the foreground in the Schnittke’s powerful Concerto, which will be interpreted by the multi-awarded pianist Konstantinos Destounis, under the baton of Charles Olivieri-Munroe.

The promising and active conductor Yorgos Balatsinos is leading an interesting musical tour in the enchanting Italy, in its history (Francesca da Rimini), its landscapes (Fontane di Roma) and, of course, its Music (Respighi, Martucci, Busoni), with the assistance of the acknowledged pianist, Francesco Nicolosi. Common characteristics of all the, more or less, familiar pieces of the concert are undeniably the romanticism, the passion and the melodiousness… in the Italian way.

The ambitious vision of the Athens State Orchestra to present to its audience the entire repertoire of the symphonic work of Mahler, keeps on being actualized this year. Thus, in the opening concert of the new artistic period, which at the same time inaugurates the cycle “Man and nature”, we will enjoy the Song of Earth, a piece which combines harmoniously the conceptional largeness of the symphony with the sober charm of the ancient Chinese poetry and the incisive directness of the human voice.