Seoul: The New York Philharmonic is returning to Seoul for its first concerts in 11 years. At a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, Finnish conductor-composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, who will lead the concerts, expressed his happiness to be back in South Korea, a place he described as "such a musical country." He emphasized that the visit is "particularly special because I'm reunited with my dear friend Zimerman."
According to Bahrain News Agency, Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of the orchestra, highlighted the rarity of performing with Zimerman, making this visit exceptionally significant. Tarnopolsky also reminisced about the orchestra's remarkable and unique relationship with the two Koreas, recalling its "history-making" visit to Pyongyang in February 2008, where they performed at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre.
The orchestra is set to perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 and his "Eroica" Symphony No. 3 at the Arts Center Incheon on Thursday, followed by a performance at the Seoul Arts Center on Friday. Saturday's concert at the Seoul Arts Center will feature Ravel's "Suite from Ma Mere l'Oye," Debussy's "La Mer," and Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique."
Salonen explained that these programmes are intended to "present history-making conversations," aiming to transport audiences to transformative moments in musical history where conventional rules were redefined and the direction of music was forever altered. He noted that pieces like Beethoven's "Eroica" and Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique" possess a unique quality, as if they "arrived from another world."