The Verbier Chamber Orchestra, one of the world's finest chamber orchestras, is coming to Lugano for the first time. Under the baton of Gábor Takács-Nagy and featuring cellist Steven Isserlis, the orchestra will present a programme ranging from Viennese classicism to Jewish tradition. With pieces by Beethoven, Haydn and Bloch, the concert explores orchestral writing and the dialogue between soloist and ensemble, offering a musical journey through drama, virtuosity and profound spirituality.

The concert opens with Beethoven's Coriolano Overture, a masterpiece that perfectly encapsulates the composer's poetics: a solid structure, dramatic language and a vibrant contrast between tension and lyricism. This is followed by Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2, an elegant piece that masterfully balances solo brilliance with orchestral transparency. The programme continues with Bloch's From Jewish Life, a moving and profound work by one of Switzerland's most famous and beloved composers. Finally, the joyful serenity of Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 provides a frenetic and vital conclusion. The artistry of Steven Isserlis, an intelligent and refined cellist, is uniquely capable of bringing out the very different characters of the two solo pieces. Under the expert baton of Gábor Takács-Nagy, the Verbier Chamber Orchestra delivers an engaging and historically informed reading of a programme that spans three eras of the great European symphonic tradition.