Few classical masterpieces withstand the tests of time. These timeless works, regardless of your musical taste, are also easily recognizable. Tchaikovsky is one I bet you’ve heard. Maybe The Nutcracker, the famous Christmas-time ballet, was something you heard about? Its score was written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russia’s greatest and most well-known romantic composer.
January 2020 the Dr. Phillips Center is treating us to two shows highlighting Tchaikovsky’s best work: Swan Lake and another show dedicated to his greatest hits.
Swan Lake
January 7, 2020
If you watched The Nutcracker in December, follow up your experience with a special presentation of Swan Lake performed by the National Ballet Theater of Odessa. During this Russian company’s first visit to the United States, they’re bringing 55 of their top ballet dancers from the Opera Theater, which is recognized as the most prestigious institution of classical ballet in Russia.
Ballet manager Yuri Vasyuchenkio leads this troupe through four beautiful acts telling the folklore of a heroic young prince who frees a beautiful swan maiden from a spell.
Tchaikovsky’s Greatest Hits
January, 25, 2020
Classical music lovers are in for a special treat with this concert. Hailing from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, the Siberian State Symphony Orchestra graces the Bob Carr Theater stage to perform more than an hour of Tchaikovsky’s most recognizable concertos. Lead by Maestro Vladmir Lande, Russia’s best orchestra starts its 8 week U.S. tour in the City Beautiful.
The performance opens with “Romeo & Juliet – Fantasy Overture,” a 20-minute long piece that emotes the love between Romeo and Juliet as well as the violent feud between the Montague and Capulet families. While Tchaikovsky drew inspiration from Shakespeare’s story, he did so out of order allowing him to creatively contrast the themes of love, war, death, and the melancholy reflections from Friar Laurence.
Following the emotional roller coaster of the first performance is Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto op. 35, D Major with Pavel Milyukov as violin soloist. This piece, sketched in 11 days and scored in two weeks after Tchaikovsky fled his home country at the end of a disastrous marriage, runs a bow over the heart strings. Tchaikovsky, famous for his lyric and dramatic works for stage and orchestra hall, never was quite famous for his concertos during his life. Out of his extensive body of work, he produced only one piano concerto (the final performance of the night) and one for violin (this performance). The violin concerto’s debut performance was delayed as musicians claimed the piece was impossible to play due to its complexities. Critics were suspicious of it, yet when it was finally performed, audiences loved it. Majority won over time. As with most Tchaikovsky’s work, this violin concerto resonates heavily of the influence Slavic and Russian folk song had over Tchaikovsky.
After intermission, guests will be treated to the final performance of the night, piano concerto No. 1, op. 23 in B flat Minor with Peter Laul as soloist on piano. The first movement is grand. The sound is full, impressive, and accentuated further by the thunderous opening from the grand piano. The experience slows during the second movement as quiet moments feel as deafening as the opening. The mood becomes jubilant and light, but by the end, Tchaikovsky doesn’t let the audience off light as he returns to the pounding chords that opened the concerto.
So there you have it: two concerts featuring Tchaikovsky, performed by Russian masters in ballet and symphony, respectively. It’s a unique opportunity all music fans should experience. Should you find yourself with a ticket to either show, consider booking a room at Rosen Inn. This Rosen hotel is closest to Universal and downtown Orlando. If you’re a local, make a stay-cation out of the event. If you’re in town for the event, stay with us for an economical and comfortable stay with easy access to downtown Orlando. Click the Check Availability button in the upper right corner to book your stay today.
