Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

The scene: Moscow, 1937. It’s the height of the Stalinist purge and Shostakovich’s life is on the line. He’s been sleeping in the stairwell to spare his family the trauma of his impending arrest. A composer held hostage both artistically and literally, Shostakovich writes his Fifth Symphony—music that would fulfill the Soviet regime’s populist and “heroic” requirements and provide his political salvation. David Danzmayr will join the Minnesota Orchestra to lead this monumental and dramatic symphony that will have you on the edge of your seat with its many twists and turns.