Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, makes his WASO debut with Brahms’ First Symphony. Caught in the shadow of his idol Beethoven, Brahms spent two decades composing the work, which finally premiered in 1876. It is paired with Benjamin Britten’s Les Illuminations, sung by soprano Samantha Clarke. Completed in 1939, the song cycle is a setting of Arthur Rimbaud’s prose poetry, its homoeroticism and references to exile resonating with Britten, who had just moved to the US with his partner Peter Pears.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

WASO is thrilled to welcome Edward Gardner, Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, for his long-awaited WASO debut. Brahms may have taken nearly 20 years to complete his First Symphony, but he produced a masterpiece that grips your attention from its ominous opening to its overwhelming, exultant conclusion. Acclaimed soprano Samantha Clarke joins Gardner in Britten’s sensuous and evocative song cycle, Les Illuminations.