SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60 “Leningrad”
Committed to creating a better world through music, Gustavo Dudamel is regarded as one of the most prestigious conductors of our time. Guided by his unwavering belief that art has the power to inspire and transform lives, he has been a passionate advocate for social inclusion and access for underserved communities through music education, sharing his own transformative experience within Venezuela’s El Sistema programme. A testament to this commitment is his work with the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, which visits us for the first time to perform the monumental “Leningrad” Symphony.
Composed in 1941 during the early months of the Nazi invasion of what is now Saint Petersburg, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 in C major soon became a powerful symbol of resistance and hope for a people facing the horrors of the Second World War. Its most famous performance took place a year later in the besieged city itself, with a reduced ensemble of musicians from the depleted Leningrad Radio Orchestra bringing the score to life in a historic event broadcast live to the population via radio and loudspeakers placed throughout the city.
