Scheherazade by Dukas, Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, De (2023/2023), Director Lionel Bringuier, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Reino Unido

An air of magic imbues this concert, kicking off with Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Remarkable musical storytelling depicts an enchanted broom and the chaos that ensues. Truly spellbinding! From the unmistakeable introduction to the original quality of its writing, it’s easy to understand why Grieg’s Piano Concerto is considered such a masterpiece; with a dazzling layer of virtuosity and a solid Norwegian identity, the composer’s strong affinity with folk songs is ever-present. Then Rimsky Korsakov takes up the mantle with music of seduction and adventure in his version of A Thousand and One Nights, Scheherazade. This dazzlingly opulent work is full of colour, rhythmic vitality and flavours of the Orient.