Richard Strauss according to Klaus Mäkelä

Under the direction of Klaus Mäkelä, we are performing music by two composers who know how to tell a captivating story through orchestral music – with both drama and humour. The Concertgebouw Orchestra frequently collaborated with Richard Strauss. His ability to make magic with an orchestra was apparent early on: at the age of twenty-four, he made his breakthrough with his symphonic poem about the great seducer Don Juan . Years later, he enjoyed equal success with the playful, elegant music of his comic opera Der Rosenkavalier .

As the title suggests, the inventive American composer Andrew Norman’s Play is full of fun, too. With his colourful, masterfully orchestrated works, Norman proves himself to be a true musical heir to Richard Strauss. As conductor Klaus Mäkelä says, ‘if there is one piece in the whole season I wish people would hear, it would be this.’ Colourful, adventurous and full of surprising twists, Play was awarded the prestigious Grawemeyer Award in 2017.