SZSO to perform Mahler's 'Symphony No. 3'

This Friday evening, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) will perform Mahler’s masterpiece, his “Symphony No. 3,” conducted by the orchestra’s artistic director Lin Daye. Mezzo-soprano Zhu Huiling will be the featured vocalist, singing alongside the SZSO Chamber Choir and Guangzhou Little Petrel Children’s Choir.

The concert will also present the world premiere of “The Stormy Sea,” a piece SZSO commissioned German conductor and composer Elmar Lampson to write in the first year of their collaboration.

Lin Daye

Mahler’s No. 3, a colossal six-movement piece that lasts 90 minutes, was composed for orchestra and choruses, with the maestro seemingly trying to encapsulate everything he had learned about life into this single work. A hymn to nature, the entire piece was first presented in Krefeld, Germany, on June 9, 1902, with the composer conducting.

“The Stormy Sea” tries to captivate the immense power and formidable recklessness of the ocean with music. Delicate trios, tonal shifts, romantic chords and impressionist undertones combine to depict the light, color, darkness and unfathomable depth of the sea.

Zhu Huiling

Time: 8 p.m., Dec. 8

Tickets: 50-880 yuan

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D