The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony and Sibelius' Violin Concerto, with Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider on violin and Stéphane Denève conducting.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra brings Shostakovich and Sibelius: Power and Drama to Powell Hall on Saturday, April 3, and Sunday, April 4, 2027. The program pairs two heavyweights: Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto and Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10. Both are big, demanding works, and they're conducted by Stéphane Denève, with the musicians of the SLSO filling out the orchestra.
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, the Danish violinist, returns to Powell Hall for the Sibelius concerto. It's one of the great violin concertos of the twentieth century—sweeping, wide-open, and famously difficult. The second half belongs to Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony, a work that's as much about a man as it is about a country. Shostakovich wrote it in response to the death of Joseph Stalin, and he described it as a reflection on individuality and power. He said he wanted to convey "human feelings and passions," and the result is described as at once tragic and unshakeable.
Putting the two together makes a lot of sense. The Sibelius is all soaring breadth; the Shostakovich is driving intensity. One is a showcase for a single voice, the other a full-orchestra statement. Between them, you get a good look at how two very different composers handled the weight of their time.
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There are two performances to choose from: Saturday, April 3, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, April 4, at 3:00 PM. Each runs about two hours, including intermission. If you're staying for the whole thing, there's an after-party hang in the lobby that doesn't require an extra ticket, so you can stick around and talk through the music after the final note.
