Arnheiður sings Grieg - Ice­land Sym­phony Or­ches­tra

PROGRAMME
Edvard Grieg Våren (The Last Spring)
Edvard Grieg Jeg elsker dig from Hjertets melodier ('I Love You' from Melodies of the Heart)
Bo Holten Trombone Concerto
Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 6

CONDUCTOR
Thomas Søndergård

SOLOISTS
Jesper Busk Sørensen
Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir

Mezzo-soprano Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir is on the roster of the Prague State Opera and in recently years has gained considerable acclaim, at home and abroad, for her compelling interpretations and technical mastery. Local critics were much taken with her performance as Oktavian in Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier in Prague last year. In Iceland, operagoers had the chance to enjoy her work in the Icelandic Opera's production of Puccini's Madame Butterfly. This concert sees her performing some of Grieg's most beloved vocal works, showcasing her sonorous voice and depth of emotion. The Dane Jesper Busk Sørensen is one of the leading trombonists in Europe and has been a tenured member of the Berlin Philharmonic since 2009. In this concert he performs a brand-new and exciting concerto by one of Denmark's most renowned living composers, Bo Holten. Next to him on the podium is his countryman Thomas Søndergård, who recently took over as chief conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra.

The final piece on the programme is Sibelius's Sixth Symphony, an intimate and stunningly beautiful composition. The composer worked on it for many years while the First World War raged through Europe but did not complete it until 1923. Sibelius himself likened the piece to clean, cold water. The work is a meeting point for his love of Mediaeval and Renaissance music and his own innovative musical language that paved the way for the future. This beguiling and mysterious symphony is the perfect end to a true Nordic feast of a concert.