Romantic Rachmaninoff

Romantic Rachmaninoff brings the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra back to Heinz Hall on Sunday, October 18. It's the final night of a three-concert run that started on Friday, October 16, so if you missed the opening, this is your last chance to catch it.

The program centers on the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, and the orchestra isn't playing alone. They're joined by cellist Alisa Weilerstein, who takes the spotlight as soloist. Leading the whole thing from the podium is Juraj Valčuha, the symphony's music director. Between the two of them—a world-class cellist and a conductor who knows this orchestra inside and out—the evening is built around the cello's role within the larger symphonic sound.

If you're not a regular at the symphony, here's the basic setup: the orchestra provides the full, lush backdrop, and Weilerstein steps forward to carry the melodic lines. Rachmaninoff is known for that sweeping, late-Romantic style—big melodies, a lot of emotional weight, and a particular kind of melancholy that works especially well on the cello. It's the kind of music that fills the room and stays with you long after the final note.

Since this is the third and final performance of the weekend, it's the last opportunity to see this particular combination of Valčuha and Weilerstein together at Heinz Hall. You can find tickets and the full schedule at pittsburghsymphony.org/calendar.