Now in his second season with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) as its principal guest conductor, Victorien Vanoosten continues to delight both the orchestra and the audience with new programmes and appealing interpretations of large-scale symphonic works. On November 8, the concert Myths and Legends will feature musical interpretations of myths and legends by two contemporaries, French composer Claude Debussy and German composer Richard Strauss. Mario Hossen, the guest from Austria, will appear as solo violinist.

“The musicians of the LNSO are open and friendly, and it is a pleasure to work with them. Not only are they excellent, but they also strive for the best results, which I greatly appreciate. I feel that the orchestra trusts me, and we are moving forward in the same direction,” said Vanoosten when he began working with the orchestra in 2024. “I feel happy when I manage to convince others to do something beautiful together, to show the way how we can all strive for it. I would like to maintain the trust of the orchestra members. We will perform complex large-scale works by Mahler, Bruckner, and Strauss,” promised the orchestra’s highly anticipated conductor. And expectations are being more than fulfilled, with every new concert delivered by the maestro and the LNSO becoming a highly awaited celebration of symphonic music.

This is yet another musical programme, promising an intriguing narrative. Various myths and legends have always fascinated and inspired composers, and some of them told spellbinding stories passed down from generation to generation in musical sounds. The concert Myths and Legends will feature Debussy’s symphonic prelude Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) and the choreographic poem Jeux (Games), as well as R. Strauss’ Concerto for violin and orchestra in D minor, Op. 8, and the symphonic poem Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks), Op. 28.

One of Debussy’s most famous compositions, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun), is the composer’s light and nostalgic take on ancient Roman mythology, aptly conveying the mood of a lazy summer afternoon and immersing the listener in a subtly sensual state.

The choreographic poem Jeux (Games) is Debussy’s last completed work for orchestra. Here, the composer reveals himself as a master of impressionistic musical language: there are more than 60 tempo changes in this one-movement work, with constantly changing motifs and shifting orchestral colours creating a seamless, continuous musical fabric.

Perhaps the most important highlight of this concert programme is Richard Strauss’ Concerto for violin and orchestra in D minor, performed by violinist Mario Hossen, captivating audiences with his deeply profound interpretations. This Austrian-Bulgarian musician is considered one of the foremost interpreters of Paganini’s music. At the age of seventeen, Hossen performed Paganini’s 24 Caprices and violin concertos with the most important Bulgarian orchestras, and since then he has appeared in prestigious concert halls in more than 40 countries. Hossen’s appearance in Vilnius includes a unique work by R. Strauss, which he composed as a teenager. It is rarely performed in concert halls, but reveals the composer’s mature approach to harmony and his tendency to rethink the aesthetics of classicism.

The concert will conclude with one of the most famous symphonic poems in music history – R. Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks). The composer realistically conveys the adventures of a comical medieval German and Flemish folklore character: a vagabond, unrestrained by societal norms, an idler who embodied a free spirit, but was punished for his antics – he was executed.

The concert Myths and Legends. LNSO, Mario Hossen, Victorien Vanoosten will take place on Saturday, November 8 at 19.00 in the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Concert Hall. For the full program of the LNPhS 85th season please visit www.nationalphilharmonic.lt  LNPhS 85th concert season is sponsored by NORFA.

LNPhS inf.