Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota Orchestra have now returned home with the sound of rapturous applause ringing in their ears following their four performances at three of Europe’s major summer festivals in London, Edinburgh and Amsterdam. 

The first of the orchestra’s two concerts at this year’s BBC Proms included a remarkable performance of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 by the young American cellist, Alisa Weilerstein and Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony. The following night, a packed house greeted Gil Shaham in a stunning performance of Berg’s Violin Concerto, and Vänskä then leading his Orchestra through the annual Proms performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The outstanding critical acclaim that has greeted these performances mirrors the excellent critical reception that greeted their recordings of these works. 

From London, the Orchestra flew to Edinburgh, performing at Usher Hall as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, and again joined by Alisa Weilerstein (who on this occasion played Elgar’s Cello Concerto). Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony featured in the programme’s second half. 

Finally it was on to the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam where the Orchestra performed to yet another full house as part of the Robeco Summer Series. Gil Shaham rejoined the orchestra in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with a second performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 bringing this triumphant tour to a close.