Haydn / Dvořák, Charles Dutoit
The esteemed Swiss conductor, Charles Dutoit, takes charge of the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice in Venice for a performance of two much-loved symphonies by Franz Joseph Haydn and Antonín Dvořák. In this concert series, Dutoit takes centre stage at the Gran Teatro La Fenice, a superb auditorium for these two carefully selected pieces, Symphony No. 104 in D major (H. 1/104), known as 'London', by Haydn, and Dvořák ever-popular Symphony No. 9 in E minor, 'From the New World', Op. 95.
The 104th Symphony, Haydn’s last, was written from 1794 after the great composer had received a commission from the London-based Johann Peter Salomon, a violinist, impresario and conductor. In his 60s by the time he moved to England in 1791, Haydn wrote six symphonies for Salomon during his tenure in the British Isles. However, it was not until he had returned to Vienna that a further six works to complete his so-called London symphonies were begun. When Haydn came back to the British capital, Londoners had high expectations for the coming works. Subsequently, the four movements of the 104th symphony premiered at the King's Theatre in Haymarket on 13 April 1795 to much critical acclaim.
Dvořák wrote Symphony No. 9 in E minor, 'From the New World', Op. 95 in four movements, too. The Czech composer was in the United States at the time of its composition when serving as the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America from 1892 to 1895. In common with Haydn's symphony, therefore, Dvořák's ninth was first performed far from the composer's home when it made its debut at New York City's Carnegie Hall on 16 December 1893. With touches of Native American music and African-American spirituals, the so-called 'New World' symphony was also an instant success and it has remained one of the most-performed symphonies ever since.
Born in Lausanne, Dutoit is a former student of the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève in Switzerland, where he won first prize for his conducting prowess. Since then, the maestro has gone on to enjoy a long career working as the principal conductor of numerous well-known ensembles including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, among others. Dutoit has won two Grammy Awards for his recording work.
With two such superb pieces of music, attendees at the Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice are sure to enjoy a spectacular musical event.