Klaus Mäkelä conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Dvořák's Symphony No. 7

Bartók's Duke Bluebeard’s Castle

How much truth can love endure? That’s the question at the heart of Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, a psychological thriller of the first order. The budding love of two people and seven fatal questions – little else is needed to create an almost unbearable tension for the listener. The technically demanding vocal parts are sure to fit Jennifer Johnston and Gerald Finley like a glove. The overwhelming music, in which Bartók masterfully maximises every register of the orchestra, does the rest.

Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7

Chief conductor designate Klaus Mäkelä is also conducting Antonín Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, a first-rate symphony brimming with dark drama in which the Bohemian master once more tips his hat to Johannes Brahms, who had done so much for him. Folk influences are few and far between here. The composer’s message in this work is more universal, one aimed at the entire world. After an eventful emotional journey, a glorious light breaks through at the end.