Visions of Happiness at Napier Municipal Theatre

The rich splendour of the brass section calls out insistently in the opening bars of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Dedicated to his patron Nadezhda von Meck, Tchaikovsky plumbed the depths of his soul in this work, searching for some understanding of the fate that propelled him forward. His glorious melodies find their equal in Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll. Composed in celebration of his wife Cosima’s birthday, the work was first performed on the staircase to her room, waking her with music full of domestic happiness and profound love. At the centre of this concert is Erich Korngold’s lush Violin Concerto. Performed by the outstanding violinist Mikhail Ovrutsky, his glowing and rich tones perfectly suit Korngold’s wonderfully expressive concerto, creating myriad visions of dazzling happiness.