Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream | Tchaikovsky: "Manfred" Symphony

Riccardo Chailly and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra awaken the fantastical music of Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky in a riveting performance.

The pieces are both inspired by literary legend; the icy and tragic melancholy of Tchaikovsky’s performance following the inner torment of Manfred is contrasted with Mendelssohn’s luminous performance, as light and mischievous as Shakespeare’s fairies to bring together the theme of fantastical identity, brought to life by Chailly and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and reflected in the magical surroundings of Lake Lucerne where it is performed.

In this concert, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra performs the Overture and excerpts from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony. Set to the delightful Shakespearean comedy, Mendelssohn brings to musical life the illustrious company of elves, lovers’ passions and the moonlight of night, whilst Tchaikovsky’s Symphony, likewise sharing the name of Lord Byron’s poem, chronicles the life of the tormented noble Manfred in four movements. Both works examine the protagonists’ ability to come to terms with their true identities.