Stephan MacLeod bass and conductor
Kristian Bezuidenhout fortepiano

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, “Eroica”
For the first time, the Haydn–Mozart Festival turns its focus to Ludwig van Beethoven — their successor, and the composer who would ultimately shatter their legacy as much as inherit it. Pairing the “Eroica” with the Third Piano Concerto may seem an obvious chronological choice, given the proximity of their dates of composition, but it above all allows us to embrace a broad spectrum of musical ideas that reveal how Beethoven was firmly rooted in his time while simultaneously overturning its conventions in a decisive and irreversible way.
For the orchestra of Gli Angeli Genève, this marks an age of maturity. After a long immersion in the worlds of Haydn and Mozart, and after tackling some of the greatest Classical and Romantic oratorios, the ensemble now embarks on the most exhilarating of orchestral journeys — a cycle that will unfold over several years.
To begin this voyage through the works of the great Ludwig in the company of Kristian Bezuidenhout — a long-standing artistic partner — is an extraordinary opportunity for Gli Angeli Genève. The depth of his musicianship, his gentle and generous charisma, and the sheer pleasure our musicians take in sharing the stage with him are all assurances of an unforgettable evening.