Jean Sibelius (1913)
In 2015, the musical world commemorates the 150 years anniversary of two grand composers of symphonic music: Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen. The Stockholm Concert Hall will celebrate by launching the world’s largest Sibelius/Nielsen festival, from 14 through 26 April.
With the resident orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and its Chief Conductor Sakari Oramo, performing in three landmark concerts (opening, middle concert and grand finale) and with guest orchestras from Sweden, Finland and Denmark performing another nine concerts, this will be a grand symphonic feast to celebrate both the protagonists.
There will be daily concerts, lectures and exhibitions about both composers. The Festival will be focused around an ambitious double cycle of the complete symphonies of Sibelius and Nielsen.
The music of Sibelius and Nielsen is central to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra’s repertoire. Nielsen himself conducted the RSPO twice in 1918 and once more a decade later. Sibelius, meanwhile, conducted the RSPO four times in 1923 and returned for three concerts the following year. He directed the orchestra in the world premiere of his Symphony No. 7 on 24 March 1924 and also conducted his Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6.
