Event
The Cleveland Orchestra
Visiting Orchestras Series
The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, music director
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, violin
Knussen — Cleveland Pictures
Bruch — Violin Concerto in G Minor
Brahms — Symphony No. 1
The Cleveland Orchestra returns to present an evening of classical wonders under the baton of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst. The world-renowned orchestra opens its performance with Oliver Knussen’s lively and colorful Cleveland Pictures, a work commissioned by The Cleveland Orchestra that saw its premiere in 2022. Violin master Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider also returns to play Bruch’s dreamy Violin Concerto, a timeless masterpiece filled with lush orchestration and technically demanding virtuosic challenges perfectly suited for a violinist of Szeps-Znaider’s caliber. The evening concludes with Brahms’ towering Symphony No. 1, showcasing the musical mastery of one of the world’s finest orchestras from its triumphant opening to its sweeping finale.
Music and Museum
All Visiting Orchestras tickets include same-day admission to the The Baker Museum. Special museum hours on day of The Cleveland Orchestra performance: Noon-7pm. In addition, the doors to Hayes Hall will open 60 minutes prior to this performance. Arrive early to enjoy the exhibitions and light fare available at Heidi's Place.
The Visiting Orchestras series is generously sponsored by Judy and Verne Istock.
The Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra
Now in its second century, The Cleveland Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst since 2002, is one of the most sought-after performing ensembles in the world. Year after year, the ensemble exemplifies extraordinary artistic excellence, creative programming and community engagement. The New York Times has called Cleveland “the best in America” for its virtuosity, elegance of sound, variety of color and chamber-like musical cohesion.
Founded by Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra performed its inaugural concert in December 1918. By the middle of the century, decades of growth and sustained support had turned it into one of the most admired globally.
The past decade has seen an increasing number of young people attending concerts, bringing fresh attention to The Cleveland Orchestra’s legendary sound and committed programming. More recently, the orchestra launched several bold digital projects, including the streaming platform Adella, the podcast On a Personal Note and its own recording label, a new chapter in the orchestra’s long and distinguished recording and broadcast history. Together, they have captured the orchestra’s unique artistry and the musical achievements of the Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra partnership.
The 2023-24 season marks Franz Welser-Möst’s 22nd year as music director, a period in which The Cleveland Orchestra earned unprecedented praise around the world, including a series of residencies at the Musikverein in Vienna, the first of its kind by an American orchestra and a number of applauded opera presentations.
Since 1918, seven music directors—Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodziński, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi and Franz Welser-Möst—have guided and shaped the ensemble’s growth and sound. Through concerts at home and on tour, broadcasts and a catalog of acclaimed recordings, The Cleveland Orchestra is heard today by a growing group of fans around the world.
Franz Welser-Möst
Franz Welser-Möst
Franz Welser-Möst is among today’s most distinguished conductors. The 2023-24 season marks his 22nd year as music director of The Cleveland Orchestra. With the future of their acclaimed partnership extended to 2027, he will be the longest-serving musical leader in the ensemble’s history. Under Welser-Möst’s direction, The Cleveland Orchestra has been regularly lauded as among America’s best orchestras, known for its virtuosity, elegance of sound, variety of color and chamber-like musical cohesion.
With Welser-Möst, The Cleveland Orchestra has been praised for its inventive programming, ongoing support of new music and innovative work in presenting operas. To date, the orchestra and Welser-Möst have been showcased around the world in 20 international tours together.
In the 2023-24 season, Welser-Möst is a featured Perspectives Artist at Carnegie Hall and leads The Cleveland Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic in the Fall of the Weimar Republic: Dancing on the Precipice series.
In addition to his commitment to Cleveland, Welser-Möst enjoys a particularly close and productive relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic as a guest conductor. He has conducted its celebrated New Year’s concert three times, and he regularly leads the orchestra at home in Vienna, as well as on tours.
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider is one of the rare musicians who has “transitioned uncommonly well to the podium, bringing his violinist’s insight and profound musicality” (cleveland.com). The 2023-24 season marks his fourth as music director of the Orchestre National de Lyon, a partnership that has been extended until 202627.
Szeps-Znaider regularly appears as a guest conductor with some of the world’s leading orchestras, including The Cleveland Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie, Bamberg Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. On the operatic front, he followed a successful debut conducting The Magic Flute at the Dresden Semperoper with an invitation to conduct Der Rosenkavalier in 2019. He recently made his debut with the Royal Danish Opera and Zurich Opera House with new productions of The Magic Flute.
As a virtuoso violinist, Szeps-Znaider maintains his reputation as one of the world’s leading exponents of the instrument with a busy calendar of concerto and recital engagements. This season, he makes appearances with the Danish National Symphony, New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra and Israel Philharmonic, as well as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Symphony, where he combines both his playing and conducting abilities. He also makes his highly anticipated return to London’s Wigmore Hall, performing with pianist and longtime collaborator Saleem Ashkar.
Program Book
Program Book
View this month's program book to get general information about Artis—Naples and to read articles about this month’s activities. View the program insert* for specific information about this event.
Program Book
Program Insert
* Program inserts will be available online approximately ten days prior to the event.
