Elegant to Epic: Saint-Saëns and Shostakovich

Rafael Payare, conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

SAINT-SAËNS: Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op. 103, Egyptian
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60, Leningrad

Considered one of the finest pianists of today, Jean-Yves Thibaudet takes the Jacobs Music Center stage to perform his acclaimed interpretation of Camille Saint-Saëns' final piano concerto, written while he was vacationing in Cairo, Egypt. Then Rafael Payare and the Symphony tackle Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7, Leningrad. The first performance of the Leningrad took place in August 1942, a year into the 30-month blockade of the city by Axis powers, and was broadcast throughout the city as a show of defiance against German forces. Since then, the symphony has become a powerful international symbol of human resistance to brutality, barbarism and injustice.

Come enjoy a pre-concert talk covering highlights and backstories of this program, one hour before concert-time.

Guest speaker for this weekend: Charissa Noble, University of San Diego Assistant Professor and Ensemble X Director.

This classical concert weekend by the San Diego Symphony is made possible, in part, by

For Jacobs Masterworks concerts, only children ages five years and older will be allowed into the concert hall. These children must have a ticket and be able to sit in an un-accompanied seat.

For this classical music concert, purchased drinks should only be enjoyed in the lobbies pre-concert or during intermission, and should not be brought inside the concert hall.

Ace Parking has provided a DEDICATED JACOBS MUSIC CENTER PARKING PRE-PURCHASE PAGE for upcoming events at JMC.