The Gewandhausorchester’s special stopover at La Scala in Milan

As part of their European tour this February, the Gewandhausorchester and their world-famous music director Riccardo Chailly stop for a special evening at the legendary conductor’s native city and debut stage – La Scala in Milan.

Following a visit to Turin on February 15, the award-winning Gewandhausorchester and their Italian conductor stop for an evening to remember at Teatro alla Scala on February 16.

Chailly launched his extraordinary career from the city of his birth. At the age of 20, he became assistant conductor to Claudio Abbado at Milan’s internationally renowned La Scala opera house. In 1978, he made his conducting debut there at the age of 25.

Several internationally acclaimed positions followed, including that of chief conductor of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra and a highly celebrated 16-year tenure as chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, which commenced when he was just 35!

Chailly’s next career-defining post began in 2005, with the start of his tenure as Gewandhauskappelmeister in Leipzig. Standing ovations across the musical capitals of Europe have resulted. Recordings made by the Gewandhausorchester and Riccardo Chailly have earned some of the world’s most coveted music awards, most recently the 2014 Gramophone Classical Music Awards’ “Recording of the Year” for their Brahms Symphony Cycle.

In June 2013, Maestro Chailly’s contract with the Gewandhausorchester was extended through 2020. In December 2013, his close connection to La Scala was deepened when the company announced his appointment as its next music director starting in January 2017. Meanwhile, in January of this year, Chailly began a two-year term as La Scala’s principal conductor.

As Official Logistics Partner since 2006, DHL is proud to orchestrate the ensemble’s transportation needs behind the scenes to spotlight such musical greatness on stage. With the global logistics leader supporting them across Europe, every prestigious concert hall becomes a sort of homecoming on tour.

Performers

Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Julian Rachlin, violin

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

Performances

February 15, 2015 – Turin – Auditorium Lingotto 

Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Violin concerto in D major, op. 35

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 2 in E minor, op. 27

February 16, 2015 – Milan – Teatro alla Scala

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Concerto for violin and orchestra, op. 64

Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 1, "Titan"