Love. Loss. Putting a brave face on things.

Who’s on stage

Guest conductor Riccardo Minasi is joined by singing royalty Véronique Gens and of course our very own Royal Northern Sinfonia.

What they’re playing

Schubert’s Overture in the Italian Style No.2, the tragic, unsettled world of Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été, and Mozart’s stormy Symphony No. 40.

What’s happening in the music?

The title ‘Summer Nights’ (Les nuits d’été) may suggest the sultriness of a long, hot summers evening, but Berlioz’s piece is more subtle than that. Summer here is a setting for a meditation on love, loss, heartbreak and hope, all wrapped up in absolutely sublime music. Mozart’s Symphony is full of his characteristic grace, but is at the same time one of his most tragic pieces – dark and yearning. You can tell he’s smiling on the outside, but underlying it is sadness and anger. Your evening starts off with Schubert’s Overture, starting out wistfully, ending triumphantly.

What’s an overture worth?

According to Schubert’s biographer, the Overture in the Italian Style No.2 only exists because of a musical bet. Watching a performance of the Rossini’s opera Tancredi with friends, Schubert declared he would have no difficulty in writing overtures of this sort. His friends took the wager and promised a glass of good wine if he succeeded. Challenge accepted, he set about immediately composing an overture for orchestra and soon followed it with a second. Let’s hope he got two glasses of good wine for his efforts!