PNN
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 20: After nearly a decade, the renowned Italian conductor Carlo Rizzi returned to the National Centre for the Performing Arts to lead the Symphony Orchestra of India in two notable concerts for the Spring 2026 Season. His first concert opened with Antonin Dvorak's Symphony No. 8, a cheerful composition suffused with the spirit of the Bohemian countryside, invoking the composer's summer home. Dvorak's imaginative writing for the woodwinds was especially palpable in Rizzi's interpretation, before giving way to the sweeping drama of Symphony No. 2 by Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer of the late Romantic period. Known for his structural command and instinct for long lyrical lines, Rizzi drew from the orchestra a sound that combined emotional depth with technical brilliance. His years of experience as an opera conductor bring another dimension to the music of the symphonic repertoire.
The SOI captivated a packed auditorium from the first note to the final crescendo, earning enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation--a testament to the orchestra's artistry and Rizzi's inspired direction. It was revelatory, underscoring the close artistic rapport between conductor and musicians and how that shared understanding can shape the character of a performance. The evening culminated in an encore drawn from Dvorak's Slavonic Dances, its folk-inflected exuberance bringing the concert to a jubilant close.
NCPA Chairman and SOI Co-Founder Khushroo N. Suntook said, "This was a particularly memorable concert, one where you can sense that something truly special has been achieved onstage. With the SOI, we strive for such artistic pinnacles every season. It is especially meaningful to welcome back Carlo Rizzi, who regularly conducts at La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera, and has previously led a production of La Bohème at the NCPA in 2017. His return reaffirms the calibre of musicianship we continue to present."
Rizzi will conduct the orchestra in the closing concert of the season on Saturday, 21 February, in a programme of works by Rossini, Puccini and Beethoven, featuring guest tenor Davide Giusti. His return to the podium is a highlight of a milestone season celebrating 20 years of the NCPA's homegrown orchestra, the only professional ensemble of its kind in India. The Spring 2026 Season also marks the first under newly appointed Chief Conductor Martyn Brabbins, who opened the celebratory season.
Over the past two decades, the SOI has played a pivotal role in shaping Mumbai's Western classical music landscape while steadily cultivating a discerning and loyal audience. Its enduring relationships with leading figures from the global music world continue to define its artistic vision in this landmark anniversary year. https://www.ncpamumbai.com
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