The pumpkin carriage is flying, the glass shoe finds its owner, and evil gets its reward. The story in Sergei Prokofiev's Cinderella ballet is told to the tune of a suite compiled by Dima Slobodeniuk. Trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger fearlessly enters the labyrinth in Jörg Widmann's trumpet concerto. The journey towards paradise passes through the lush sound of a giant orchestra – the five-piece percussion section is not only to be heard but also seen!
The ballet Romeo and Juliet was such a success when premiered in 1938 that Sergei Prokofiev was immediately asked to compose another one, Cinderella. He eagerly set to work on a scenario by Nikolai Volkov based on the fairytale by Charles Perrault, but then along came the war and the ballet was put aside. Not until 1944 was it finished, and premiered the following year. It was then such a success that it won its composer the Stalin Prize, First Class. Prokofiev used the prize money to buy himself a dacha.
Prokofiev later arranged three orchestral suites from the ballet music. The suite to be heard tonight is selected by conductor Dima Slobodeniouk. The story of Cinderella is no doubt one familiar to all – the story of a girl who is exploited by her wicked stepmother and ugly stepsisters but who is magically whisked off to the ball in a fine gown and carriage, loses her slipper in her haste to be home by midnight but thanks to it ends up marrying the Prince. And so they lived happily ever after.
Trumpet soloist Håkan Hardenberger (born 1961) has not only pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved with the instrument, but he has also inspired countless composers and fellow musicians. He champions the finest works written for the trumpet, and his extraordinary 40-year career has established him as one the world’s most prominent trumpetists.
Hardenberger regularly performs with the world’s leading orchestras. Notable engagements of Hardenberger’s 2023/24 season include the UK premiere of Jörg Widmann’s Towards Paradise with the London Symphony Orchestra and Daniel Harding, the Swedish premiere with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Andris Nelsons, followed by the Finnish premiere with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and Dima Slobodeniouk.
Born in Malmö, Sweden, Hardenbrger began studying the trumpet at the age of eight and continued his studies at the Paris Conservatoire with Pierre Thibaud and in Los Angeles with Thomas Stevens. Hardenberger is a professor at the Malmö Conservatoire.
Praised by musicians and audiences alike, Dima Slobodeniouk (born 1975) has become one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation, working with the world’s foremost orchestras and soloists, and also known as an acclaimed recording artist.
Slobodeniouk was Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia from 2013 to 2022, and Principal Conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2021, as well as the Artistic Director of the Sibelius Festival.
In the 2023/24 season, Dima Slobodeniouk returns to the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Wiener Symphoniker, and to the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Furthermore, the season sees his special return to the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia. Slobodeniouk has been invited to make his debuts with the National Symphony Orchestra Washington, with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and at the Bayerische Staatsoper.
Dima Slobodeniouk graduated from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 2001.
| Violin 1 Meri Englund Pekka Kauppinen Totti Hakkarainen Eija Hartikainen Katariina Jämsä Kati Kuusava Helmi Kuusi Elina Lehto Ilkka Lehtonen Jani Lehtonen Júlia Mušáková Kari Olamaa Petri Päivärinne Kalinka Pirinen Elina Viitasaari Violin 2 Kamran Omarli Teija Kivinen Teppo Ali-Mattila Heini Eklund Anna-Maria Huohvanainen Terhi Ignatius Sanna Kokko Liam Mansfield Siiri Rasta Harry Rayner Krista Rosenberg Virpi Taskila Tuuli Talvitie Viola Torsten Tiebout Lotta Poijärvi Petteri Poijärvi Aulikki Haahti-Turunen Kaarina Ikonen Tiila Kangas Ulla Knuuttila Carmen Moggach Liisa Orava Mariette Reefman Markus Sallinen Hajnalka Standi-Pulakka Cello Samuli Peltonen Tuomas Ylinen Basile Ausländer Jaani Helander Veli-Matti Iljin Ilmo Saaristo Aslihan Gencgonül Tommi Wesslund Swann Leclere Mirella Pietikäinen Bass Ville Väätäinen Tuomo Matero Adrian Rigopulos Paul Aksman Eero Ignatius Venla Lahti Piotr Zimnik | Flute Elina Raijas Päivi Korhonen Jenny Villanen Oboe Hannu Perttilä Jussi Jaatinen Paula Malmivaara Clarinet Heikki Nikula Francois Lemoine Marko Portin Bassoon Markus Tuukkanen Mikko-Pekka Svala Erkki Suomalainen Horn Mika Paajanen Miska Miettunen Joonas Seppelin Ruben Buils Garcia Trumpet Pasi Pirinen Mika Tuomisalo Pasqual Llopis Diago Obin Meurin Trombone Valtteri Malmivirta Anu Fagerström Jussi Vuorinen Tuba Sérgio Carolino Timpani Tomi Wikström Percussion Xavi Castelló Aràndiga Mikael Sandström Pasi Suomalainen Sampo Kuusisto Touko Leinonen Elmeri Uusikorpi Harp Katilyne Roels Sanni Korpelainen Keyboard Matilda Kärkkäinen |
Yes, but only before or after the concert. During the concert we just want you to enjoy the music. This way you won’t disturb the musicians or other audience members.
Only the orchestra has a dress code. You can dress as you like.
You can give the ticket to a friend or donate it to a music student by calling 09-3102 2700 or sending an e-mail to helsinki.philharmonic@hel.fi by 3pm on the day of the concert.
