Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with George Li

A legendary melody. Powerful, octave-jumping fingerwork. A piece initially deemed “worthless” evolving into an undisputed classic. The spirit of Romantic rebellion lives on in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, the work widely regarded as the “King of the Concert Hall,” performed to heroic heights by pianist George Li.

Enjoy Tchaikovsky’s passionate showpiece alongside two rapturous works: Mussorgsky’s Prelude to Khovanshchina and Zemlinsky’s The Mermaid, a folktale-inspired piece depicting deep ocean, fantastical characters, and a dive into the composer’s psyche following his tempestuous love affair with Alma Mahler (she broke off the relationship to marry the more established Gustav Mahler). Altogether, this is a program of tension and triumph with radiant orchestration throughout.

Join us for a pre-concert chat about the evening’s program with guest artists and symphony musicians, held 45 minutes prior to the performance start time in the First Tier Room.

• MUSSORGSKY arr. RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Prelude to Khovanshchina
• TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1
• ZEMLINSKY: The Mermaid