Echo of Persia

PERFORMERS:
Soloists:
Yelizaveta Alexandrova (harp)
Semyon Salomatnikov (trumpet)

The Mariinsky Orchestra
Conductor: Alexander Rahbari

PROGRAMME:
Amir Mahyar Tafreshipour
Harp Concerto “Persian Echoes”

Alexander Arutiunian
Trumpet Concerto

Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 9 in C major, D 944

The Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre eagerly anticipates the return of Alexander Rahbari for his nineteenth performance on this celebrated stage. This programme is a testament to Rahbari’s signature fusion of European classical masterpieces with the vibrant spirit of Eastern musical traditions.
The evening commences with a sonic odyssey to Persia, as Amir Mahyar Tafreshipour’s mesmerising Persian Echoes takes the spotlight. Composed in 2005, this work holds a special place in Iranian music history as the first-ever harp concerto. Inspired by the ancient rock carvings of Kermanshah, this composition artfully blends European compositional techniques with Persian rhythms and modes, allowing ample room for improvisation. Maestro Rahbari, a longtime champion of this piece, is poised to unveil its full evocative power.
Next, the stage is set for a fiery performance of the Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian’s Trumpet Concerto, a cherished gem in the trumpet repertoire. Steeped in the melodies and rhythms of Armenian folk music, this concerto showcases the trumpet’s extraordinary range, from its dazzling virtuosity to its tender, lyrical voice.
The grand finale of the evening is Franz Schubert’s monumental Symphony No. 9 in C major (known as The Great), an expansive masterpiece that unfolds over nearly an hour. This symphonic giant, once compared by Robert Schumann to a four-volume novel, remained unpublished and unperformed until after Schubert’s tragic death. Its posthumous premiere in 1839, led by Felix Mendelssohn, solidified Schubert’s place as one of the most innovative symphonic composers of his time.