CONDUCTED by Iranian maestro Alexander Rahbari, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) tomorrow will perform Dvořák’s “Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104” and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No.5 in E Minor, Op. 64,” both fan favorites of the classical repertoire.

Completed in 1895, Dvořák’s cello concerto is one of the most frequently performed of all cello concerti. Admired for the richness of its orchestral music and for the lyrical writing for the solo instrument, the piece is considered by most cellists as the ultimate masterpiece that displays the depth, emotion, versatility, and range of their instrument.

Following a typical structure of three movements of fast, slow, and fast tempi, the work is famous for a theme in its melancholy second movement, which is one of Dvořák’s own songs, “Leave Me Alone.” By this theme, the composer paid tribute to his sister-in-law and first love Josefina, after whose death the work was revised.

German cellist Niklas Eppinger will be the soloist in the Dvořák concerto. He has won prestigious competitions such as the ARD International Music Competition in Munich and the “Leonard Rose” International Violoncello Competition in Maryland, the U.S. He has established himself as one of the most successful cellists of his generation, and has performed with orchestras including the Bavarian Radio Symphony and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. He plays a 1750 violoncello by Gaspare Lorenzini.

In the second half of the concert, the audience will be treated to Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony, one of his most popular works.

Like all his symphonies, the work is deeply personal and is characterized by a sense of yearning. It is unified by thematic elements that return in each of its four movements, which the listener can associate with Tchaikovsky’s contemplation of personal fate.

This will be the first collaboration between the SZSO and Rahbari, a composer and conductor who has worked with more than 120 European orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic and the Mariinsky Opera.

In 1977, Rahbari won the first prize of the International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors (France) and in 1978 received the silver medal at the Geneva International Conducting Competition. In 1979, he was invited to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and in the 1980 Salzburg Easter Festival he became Karajan’s assistant.

Time: 8 p.m., Oct. 12

Tickets: 50-880 yuan

Booking: WeChat account “szyyt_piao”

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

(Li Dan)