Seattle, WA USA – Seattle Symphony – Douglas, Rachmaninov

PERFORMERS
Alexander Malofeev, piano
Seattle Symphony
Xian Zhang, conductor

PROGRAMME
Melissa Douglas: Awaken
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2

VENUE NOTE:
Passionate, luxurious, melodic, yet dark and brooding — Rachmaninov wrote the very definition of Romantic music and he’ll be featured throughout our season. Music Director Xian Zhang conducts two of his defining works in this program. She is joined by the dazzling young virtuoso Alexander Malofeev, who, after wowing Seattle in his 2023 debut, returns to take on Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, written after the composer had established himself in America. Then we turn to Rachmaninov’s epic Second Symphony, one of the greatest emotional journeys in all music. Australian composer Melissa Douglas has created a soundscape of the germination of springtime in her Awaken, which opens the concert.