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.