Kansas City Symphony Presents Prokofiev’s Fifth, with Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations

Dvořák’s Othello Overture was originally conceived as the middle work of a trilogy; between the two other overtures, one celebrating nature and the other, the revelry at a carnival, this one is a musical depiction of all of the themes in Shakespeare’s drama: love, conflict, jealousy and heartbreak, the full spectrum from joy to tragedy.

At 21 years of age, Zlatomir Fung is a rising star, with an already long list of awards and accomplishments to his credit. The youngest musician ever to win First Prize in the cello division at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, Fung makes his KCS debut playing Tchaikovsky’s elegant Variations on a Rococo Theme.

Prokofiev’s reputation during his lifetime as a great melodist is confirmed throughout his monumental Symphony No. 5. The symphony is full of satire, tenderness, humor, and at the end, unleashed energy and relentless percussion which never fail to quicken the pulse. Eduardo Strausser takes the podium for this concert.