In an English coastal fishing village, old Peter Grimes is haunted by ghosts from the past. He killed his father and three ship’s boys. Are Grimes’ wrongdoings the result of his unhappy childhood or is he himself responsible? That question is central to Benjamin Britten’s opera Peter Grimes. Britten used the four instrumental pieces between the opera acts for an orchestral suite: Four Sea Interludes. The sea here is a symbol of the overwhelming forces of nature to which man is subject.

After this stormy opening work, Argentinian piano virtuoso Nelson Goerner takes his place at the piano. Goerner has been triumphing on major international stages for many years and tonight he will play Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto. Virtuoso pianist Nikolaj Rubinstein was very critical of the piece when Tchaikovsky presented it to him in 1875. Rubinstein found it far too difficult. Fortunately, Tchaikovsky was undeterred and this romantic piano concerto, full of compelling melodies, became an irresistible classic that top pianists adore.

Appearance can be deceiving, also in music. At first glance Shostakovich’s Sixth Symphony sounds cheerful and light-hearted. Shostakovich had been commissioned by the Russian authorities under dictator Lenin to compose an uplifting work. Nevertheless, one gradually gets an uneasy feeling: fear and tension are brewing beneath the surface and, as in many of his works, Shostakovich manages to make his true emotions subtly audible in this piece.

The orchestra is led by the Portuguese conductor Nuno Coelho, who, after winning various international awards is rising to stardom. He made a big impression conducting the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and next season will conduct the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.