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Thomas Søndergård and Augustin Hadelich
Thomas Søndergård and Augustin Hadelich

Søndergård Conducts Enigma Variations

Fri Jan 5 — Sat Jan 6, 2024

Orchestra Hall

~2 hours, including intermission

Imagine if you were to create individual pieces of art in homage to each of your very closest companions and mentors. What would these “portraits” look or sound like? This is exactly what Edward Elgar did as he honored the important people in his life in each of the 14 variations of his Enigma theme. Hailed as “exceptional” and “mesmerizing” by the Star Tribune, violinist Augustin Hadelich returns to Orchestra Hall to play Benjamin Britten’s Violin Concerto. The concerts include Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Idyll, continuing the Orchestra’s championing of music recorded for its Listening Project initiative.

A Few Things to Know

  1. In August 2022, Augustin Hadelich released his newest album, which features Britten’s Violin Concerto. Thomas Søndergård and Hadelich recently performed this piece together with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in January 2023.
  2. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Idyll began as the second movement of his First Symphony, which he composed while still a student at Stanford University. Though its first performance took place in 1901, a fully engraved set of score and parts for Idyll only just became widely available in 2021.
  3. The four composers on this program, all from the U.K., would have all been alive at the same time early in the 20th century if it were not for Coleridge-Taylor’s early death at age 37. Britten was born just one year later.

Explore the concert extras

Date & Time

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Program

  • WALTON

    Scapino

    1 min note

    One Minute Note

    William Walton’s Scapino evokes the spirit of a roguish commedia dell’arte character. Contributing to an atmosphere of comedy are long melodic lines juxtaposed with short interjections.

  • BRITTEN

    Violin Concerto

    1 min note

    One Minute Note

    In Benjamin Britten’s musical statement of anguish over the Spanish Civil War, Spanish rhythms and dance figures interweave with a long lyrical melody for solo violin, leading to a cadenza and a set of passionate variations on a Spanish theme.

  • COLERIDGE-TAYLOR

     Idyll

    1 min note

    One Minute Note

    Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Idyll is an airy and dreamlike musical landscape, highlighting the sweet-singing capabilities of the woodwinds and horns and the lyrical beauty of the string section.

  • ELGAR

    Enigma Variations

    1 min note

    One Minute Note

    Thirteen of Edward Elgar’s closest friends, as well as the composer himself, are depicted in this musical portrait gallery. A highlight is the poignant Nimrod, which starts quietly and builds to a sonorous emotional climax.

Artists

Minnesota Orchestra

Augustin Hadelich

violin

Plan your visit

  • Pre-concert activities
  • Valet Parking
  • Pre-order Beverages
  • Directions & Parking
  • Helpful Tips

Pre-Concert Lecture by Nicholas Landrum

When: Fri Jan 5, 7:15-7:45 pm | Sat Jan 6, 1:15-1:45 pm

Nicholas Landrum presents A Very English Concert: Musical Portraits from the First Half of the 20th c.. Landrum is an award-winning composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and educator based in Minneapolis. 

Post-Concert Interview

When: Sat Jan 6 | Immediately following the concert
Where: On Stage

Minnesota Public Radio's Melissa Ousley interviews music director Thomas Søndergård on stage immediately following the concert.  Ousley has been the host of Minnesota Orchestra's live broadcasts since 2019.

Know Before You Go

An engaging performance awaits, and the fun doesn’t stop there. Make this visit your own with food and activity options. Browse these helpful tips, and when your concert date arrives, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.

Directions & Parking

All the information you need to know for getting to and from Orchestra Hall. Parking is just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.

Pre-order beverages

Skip the lines at the bar! Pre-order your intermission beverage via the Minnesota Orchestra App when you arrive at Orchestra Hall.

Listen Ahead

Accessibility Services

  • Armless & Bariatric Chairs
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Large-Print Programs
  • Noise-Cancelling Headphones
  • Service Animals
  • Wheelchair & Accessible Seating

Additional services are available upon request.

sponsored by

MSAB

The 2023-2024 Classical Season is presented by Ameriprise Financial.