Stefan Dohr plays as a soloist during the ‘Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra No 1’ by Richard Strauss offered on 1 October 2021

 

Sinfónica de Tenerife (Tenerife Symphony Orchestra) is a project of the Island Council’s Department of Culture which is directed by Enrique Arriaga. During the concert offered on Friday, the 1st of October 2021 at 7:30 p.m., the Orchestra will play during the second part of the programme the ‘Symphony No 10’ by Shostakovitch under the direction of Catherine Larsen-Maguire. The ‘Oberon’ Overture by Carl Maria von Weber and the ‘Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra No 1’ by Richard Strauss will be played with Stefan Dohr as an invited soloist during the first half of the concert.

The third season's concert starts with the ‘Oberon’ Overture by Carl Maria von Weber (1786 -1826). The piece reflects the most inspired moment of the German composer, which was premièred in London in the year he passed away. This romantic German opera has a strange libretto by Planché that mixes several characters such as Oberon, the king of the elves, mermaids, pirates, fairies, Charlemagne and Almanzor. 

Richard Strauss (1864-1949) composed for his father the ‘Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra’ when he was just 19 years old. During this period, the composer not only displayed a strong personality but a great deal of romanticism and the influence of Mendelssohn. After 12 years without being back on the island, the soloist Stefan Dohr plays again during this concert with the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra. The French horn soloist of the Berliner Philharmoniker has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Bernard Haitink, Christian Thielemann, Daniel Harding, Neeme and Paavo Járvi.

After the break, the Orchestra will play the ‘Symphony No 10’ by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-Moscow, 1975). Premièred in 1953, this is the first of the symphonies he composed feeling free from Stalin's yoke after the Soviet leader passed away. The fact that the work was branded as "unnatural to Soviet citizens" for embracing Western formalism, made the composer live much of his life tormented by the threat of the Gulag. Once the "iron man" died, the most accepted theory is that the musician dedicated the second movement to Stalin: a frenetic and violent scherzo with military reminiscences, during which Stalin "speaks roughly", rude, provocative and subtly ridiculous.

Catherine Larsen-Maguire (Manchester 1971) made her début in Tenerife during the last season. Now she comes back to Tenerife to tackle this programme. After playing for 10 years as the main bassoonist at the Komische Oper Berlin, in 2012 she decided to work exclusively as a conductor. Thanks to her orchestral experience, she acquired broad knowledge about the repertoire, the psychology of the orchestra, and an exceptional musical ear. Since then, she has worked as a conductor achieving a great reputation both in Europe and South America.

During this season, she will play for the first time in the UK with the London Philarmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, in Switzerland with the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève and the Orchestre de Chambre Fribourgeois, and in Germany with the Göttinger Symphonieorchester. Apart from the standard orchestral genre, Larsen-Maguire has also shown a great interest in contemporary music. Her collaborations include projects with Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Ensemble Resonanz, Ensemble Ascolta and Ensemble United Berlin. During 2021-22 she will make her debut with Ensemble Modern. 

Tickets can be purchased until two hours before the concert on the website www.auditoriodetenerife.com and by dialling the phone number 902 317 327 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except on holidays. The audience is requested to arrive at the venue well in advance to enter the auditorium in staggered "waves". By purchasing tickets, you accept the measures implemented by the cultural centre to combat COVID-19. All of the measures, as well as the contingency plan certified by AENOR, can be consulted on our website.