More tickets were requested for the concert, “BECOME RIVER – Adams, Shostakovich” on the Square of Rijeka Resolution. Two rivers merged into one: in the center of the city on the Riječina River, the musical river of Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams flowed for the first time.
Before a sold-out audience, the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra, led by Ville Matvejeff, performed the meditative work “Become River.” This work, inspired by nature and existing outside the traditional narrative, calls for deep presence and awareness, and in this case also celebrates both Rijeka and the river.
The piece that followed was far from peaceful, but rather a tense composition about the memory of revolution – Shostakovich’s expressive Twelfth Symphony, “The Year of 1917.” With enthusiastic applause, the audience expressed their thoughts and feelings on the concert with the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra and Ville Matvejeff. Here are some of the impressions they shared with us:
“I could hear the rush of water as they were playing Adams – a wonderful experience!”
“I’m fascinated by the sensibility with which Ville Matvejeff leads the Orchestra.”
“I really like the combination of these two compositions. The first is soft, like meditation, and the second is strong and intense. I really enjoyed this combination.”
“Beautifully portrayed and lacking nothing. Adams was spectacular; he portrayed water perfectly. And Shostakovich was completely different – heavy. The whole Orchestra was fantastic, and everyone came to the forefront. A unique conductor in Rijeka.”
“When the conductor is great, then everything fits, right? We know that Maestro Ville is excellent, and he proved that again tonight. It was a real pleasure.”
The next concert features the most famous works of Verdi, Puccini, Saint-Saëns, Mozart and Donizetti for soloists, choir and orchestra: “Nessun Dorma”, conducted by maestro Beatrice Venezi on the Square of Rijeka Resolution on July 23 and 25 at 9 PM.
General sponsor of the Rijeka Symphony Orchestra
