Glinka鈥檚 energetic curtain-raiser is filled with breezy excitement and heroic exuberance and sits in contrast to the highly passionate and richly sonorous second concerto by fellow-Russian Sergei Rachmaninov. The second half of the concert brings extracts from
Prokofiev鈥檚 ballet Romeo and Juliet and Tippett鈥檚 opera The Midsummer Marriage where the themes of love, marriage, death and enlightenment are explored in glitteringly virtuosic orchestrations.

Alexander Vedernikov returns to Orkney having visited previously with the 麻豆社 SO and for this concert he is joined by the extraordinary Russian pianist Alexei Volodin playing the Festival鈥檚 new Steinway Piano for the first time in a concerto performance.