WSO season kicks off with two fateful fifths
Saturday night’s Masterworks program, titled Beethoven 5 and Tchaikovsky 5 and led by Daniel Raiskin, also officially introduced the WSO’s new composer-in-residence, Kelly-Marie Murphy, to the weekend crowd of 1,720. She was met with enthusiastic applause and cheers upon taking the stage.
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra kicks off 2026-27 season with two fearsome works, Beethoven 5 and Tchaikovsky 5, on an eventful evening
On a stormy autumn night, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) launched its 2026-27 season with a pair of ominous masterpieces, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor. The evening, titled Masterworks 5 and Tchaikovsky 5, was led by WSO's new composer-in-residence, Kelly-Marie Murphy.
Murphy's Dark Nights, Bright Stars, Vast Universe, premiered during the concert, captivating the audience with her evocative orchestration inspired by Richard Strauss's tone poem Don Juan. The approximately 11-minute work began with an ethereal cymbal roll, gradually revealing principal harpist Charlene Chin's theme and gradually transitioning into a celestial, pinprick stars finale.
The WSO also commemorated the return of Beethoven's iconic Symphony No. 5 and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, both of which had not been performed at the venue since 2011. Conducted by Daniel Raiskin, the performances showcased the orchestra's strength, with robust lower strings in Beethoven and lyrical, elegiac treatment from principal horn Patricia Evans in Tchaikovsky. The final, thunderous finales of both works elicited rousing standing ovations from the 1,720-strong crowd.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
