The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Daniel Raiskin, gave a memorable performance yesterday at the Palau de la Música Catalana, with violinist Alexandra Conunova as guest soloist.
The concert opened with A Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, a work of striking dramatic intensity. This was followed by Aram Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 46, which showcased Alexandra Conunova’s virtuosity and expressiveness, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience. The soloist concluded with the second movement “Obsession” from Eugène Ysaÿe’s Violin Sonata No. 2.
In the second half, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition painted a rich tapestry of sonic landscapes, culminating in the monumental “The Great Gate of Kiev.” The orchestra and conductor also treated the audience to a fragment of Antonín Dvořák’s Slavonic Dance No. 8.
The audience applauded the orchestra and conductor’s debut in Barcelona, bringing an intense and memorable evening to a close.