Conductor Louis Langrée who was due to conduct this week’s SCO concert Christmas in Paris, has had to withdraw due to ill health. He will be replaced by Romanian conductor Cristian Mandeal.

There is also one change to the programme. Sibelius’ Pelléas et Mélisande replaces Haydn’s Symphony 86 ‘Paris’.

Sibelius: Pelléas et Mélisande
Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No 1
Fauré: Élégie
Ravel: Ma Mère L’Oye (Mother Goose)

Cristian Mandeal, conductor; Jian Wang, cello

Ravel never lost touch with his inner child, and his music brings an appropriately magical and fantastical flavour to this December concert. Mother Goose, inspired by timeless fairy tales and originally written for some young friends to play at the piano, is recreated here in miraculous orchestral colour. It is performed alongside the Grand Old Men of Ravel’s Paris: Saint-Saëns and Fauré in a lovely mixed programme.

‘... what poured out from the SCO all evening was some of the most utterly exhilarating orchestral playing you will hear anywhere, from anyone ...’ (The Herald)

www.sco.org.uk

© Xu Bin