SONGS OF DESTINY

Name: SONGS OF DESTINY
Start: 2026-10-17
Location: Music Hall

OCT 17 & 18, 2026 | SAT 7:30 PM; SUN 2 PM | Music Hall

From myth to fire to consolation, this program traces a journey through passion, virtuosity and reflection.

Program

Dorothy Howell Lamia
Aram Khachaturian Violin Concerto

Johannes Brahms

Nänie

Schicksalslied (“Song of Destiny”)

Artists

Cristian Mӑcelaru conductor
Alexandra Conunova violin
May Festival Chorus, Matthew Swanson

director

Venue

Music Hall

What's Interesting

From myth to fire to consolation, this program traces a journey through passion, virtuosity and reflection. Dorothy Howell’s Lamia opens with a darkly lyrical, evocative story of a nymph and her fate at the hands of a jealous god. In her CSO debut, violinist Alexandra Conunova brings fiery energy and soaring lyricism to Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto, one of the 20^th century’s great Romantic concertos. Two choral works by Brahms offer final consolation: Nänie laments the inevitability of death through three episodes from Greek mythology, while Schicksalslied ("Song of Destiny") contrasts the eternal bliss of immortals with the restlessness of human existence.

What Critics Are Saying

“Alexandra Conunova's playing is this fabulous: the warm-toned, easy fluidity of her virtuosities; her range of articulation, colour and shading; the subtle spontaneity; the natural shaping.”
– Columbia Artists Music

“Conunova can conjure a sublimely gorgeous tone, but is also adventurous in her use of timbre without ever seeming affected.”
– Classical Music

“Conunova's technique sounds faultless, too, and even in the roughest patches of music.”
– The Strad