In December, Pablo Heras-Casado embarks on an Italian journey making his debut with Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI and Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro Sinfonico di Milano, returning to Teatro alla Scala in Milan for this year’s Christmas concert. For the first time, Heras-Casado will lead the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI at the Auditorium RAI ​‘Arturo Toscanini’ in Turin on 1 and 2 December. Among the pieces scheduled for both concerts are Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, a symphonic masterpiece inspired by Stephane Mallarmé’s symbolist poem composed in 1894 and Stravinsky’s Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, written in 1931 and first performed that same year in Berlin with violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann. Heras-Casado closes the evening with Mahler’s Symphony No.1 ​‘Titan’.

The first concert will be broadcast on Rai Radio3 and on Euroradio at 8.30 PM (CET), and live streamed on the following day on Rai Cultura website at 8 PM (CET).

On 15 and 16 December, he returns to Milan for two concerts with Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro Sinfonico di Milano to present Mozart​’s Symphony No.38 and the second act of Wagner’s Parsifal with Tuomas Katajala in the leading role, Ursula Hesse von den Steinen (Kundry) and Samuel Youn (Klingson) at the Auditorium di Milano Fondazione Cariplo.

Maestro Heras-Casado will close his Italian month of concerts by conducting the ​‘Concerto di Natale’ at Teatro alla Scala, replacing due to health reasons Maestro Zubin Mehta. The Christmas concert program celebrating this special time of the year will include Mozart​‘s Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore, Laudate Dominum with soprano Lauren Michelle, Haydn​‘s Symphony No.94, La sorpresa and Mit dem Paukenschlag, also by Haydn, with soloists Lauren Michelle, Annalisa Stroppa, Giovanni Sala and Luca Micheletti.