Nutcracker: Santtu conducts Tchaikovsky | Philharmonia Orchestra

Santtu-Matias Rouvali, the Philharmonia’s new Principal Conductor, has put together an irresistible trio of audience favourites.

Santtu opens with Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide, woven out of the most memorable melodies from the opera. Listen out for the gorgeous lullaby-like theme played by four French horns.

Next comes Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto, regarded as one of the most challenging peaks for any pianist to conquer. This masterpiece holds no fear for soloist Yefim Bronfman, a pianist at the top of his game ‘who can seemingly play anything… the go-to guy for daunting concertos’ (The New York Times).

Santtu loves to conduct ballet music – and often seems almost to be dancing himself on the podium. He’s chosen the suite from Tchaikovsky’s Christmas ballet The Nutcracker to complete tonight’s programme. From the ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’ with its music-box melody played by the celesta, to the dreamy, swirling ‘Waltz of the Flowers’, this is music to hum all the way home.