Bernstein Classics
Part of the MSO’s Bernstein Celebration, this program investigates Bernstein’s musical roots through his mentor Aaron Copland and the music of Gustav Mahler.
He based the impressive last movement of his First Symphony on the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and the Book of Psalms provided the texts of his life, embracing, joyous Chichester Psalms.
The MSO is thrilled to welcome Bramwell Tovey to Melbourne for this celebration. As a young conductor in 1986, he was asked to step in to conduct the opening night of a Bernstein Festival with the London Symphony Orchestra. By doing this, he followed in the footsteps of Leonard Bernstein himself, whose career was launched in the same way. The only difference was that, in Tovey’s case, Bernstein himself was present. Subsequently Bernstein invited Tovey to attend classes and rehearsals. The rest is history.