In 1829, visiting Fingal’s Cave, Mendelssohn was overwhelmed by emotion. He then composed The Hebrides, a striking early tone poem for orchestra that mirrors the wild beauty of the site itself. Schumann, plagued by illness, composed a luminous Symphony No. 2, proving that pain can indeed engender brilliance. In 1809, while Vienna was being bombarded by French troops led by Napoleon Bonaparte, Beethoven was composing his famous “Emperor“ piano concerto, a work of immense grandeur and serenity. On the piano, Francesco Piemontesi, an artist from the canton of Ticino whose playing has rare depth. Conducting is Gianandrea Noseda, a major figure of his generation, the General Music Director of the Zurich Opera House and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington. The Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO), founded by Claudio Abbado in 1997, is remarkable for the artistic freedom it displays and its unique sound, astride classicism and contemporary creation. The orchestra continues its artistic quest, performing in more that 40 countries on five continents and constantly pushing back musical boundaries – an adventure extended by the opening concert of the season marking the very first appearance of the MCO in the Valais.
20.09.2025 - Mahler Chamber Orchestra ǀ G. Noseda ǀ F. Piemontesi
A programme of Romantic music, a quest for the absolute where music transcends history and illuminates the soul.
Noda+
Join us to anticipate, deepen, or extend the concert experience in a joyful and playful spirit, at the crossroads of the arts and sensibilities.
Concert programme
At each concert, Noda bcvs will be delighted to offer you a concert programme absolutely free, to give you a helping hand, so to speak. The opportunity to discover the careers of our guest artists and find out more about the works performed, as you sit undisturbed in your seat!
Concert programme
At each concert, Noda bcvs will be delighted to offer you a concert programme absolutely free, to give you a helping hand, so to speak. The opportunity to discover the careers of our guest artists and find out more about the works performed, as you sit undisturbed in your seat!
At each concert, Noda bcvs will be delighted to offer you a concert programme absolutely free, to give you a helping hand, so to speak. The opportunity to discover the careers of our guest artists and find out more about the works performed, as you sit undisturbed in your seat!
Keys to Listening
Do you find classical music intimidating? You have questions about the works scheduled? You are very welcome, whatever your situation. One hour before each concert, come and attend our pre-concert lecture to share our keys to listening – in order to get even more out of the concert experience!
Keys to Listening
Do you find classical music intimidating? You have questions about the works scheduled? You are very welcome, whatever your situation. One hour before each concert, come and attend our pre-concert lecture to share our keys to listening – in order to get even more out of the concert experience!
Do you find classical music intimidating? You have questions about the works scheduled? You are very welcome, whatever your situation. One hour before each concert, come and attend our pre-concert lecture to share our keys to listening – in order to get even more out of the concert experience!
More informations
In the time since it was founded in 1997, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO) has established itself as one the most talented chamber orchestras on the international scene. As it was initially thought of as a “collective”, the MCO is self-managed by its members, in collaboration with a management consultant based in Berlin. The group’s musicians come from 25 different countries. The dialogue of chamber musicians that they maintain and the significant amount of work they put in listening to each other have shaped the unique sound of the orchestra, whose philosophy, inspired by the group’s first mentor, Claudio Abbado, sees itself as the “Sound of Listening”. In recent seasons, the MCO has played with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Maxim Emelyanychev, Tugan Sokhiev, Raphaël Pichon and Anja Bihlmaier, in addition to its artistic consultant, Daniele Gatti. The orchestra is also known for its performances without a conductor. Certain recurrent artistic partners – Yuja Wang and Mitsuko Uchida, for instance – often conduct from their piano. The Mahler Chamber Orchestra continually explores new initiatives, whether musical or social. Its Feel the Music programme thus introduces music to deaf or hearing-impaired persons, whereas the MCO Academy focuses on the next generation.
Gianandrea Noseda is one of the most renowned conductors on the international scene and has been lauded for both his concert and opera work. Principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center USA since 2017, he is also principal guest conductor at the London Symphony Orchestra and musical director of the Zurich Opera, where his most recent achievements were two complete cycles of the Ring in spring 2024 in a new production by Andreas Homoki. Noseda has conducted the majority of the world’s great symphony orchestras, has performed in the most beautiful opera houses and makes regular appearances at the leading festivals. His stint as musical director at Turin’s Teatro Regio (2007 – 2018) marked a golden age for that institution. The Italian conductor has built up a rich discography that includes more than 80 releases for labels as diverse as LSO Live, Deutsche Grammophon and Chandos. A Commander of Merit of the Italian Republic, he has also won the International Opera Awards Conductor of the Year (2016) and, in December 2024, received the Ambrogino d’Oro – the highest distinction awarded by the City of Milan.
The Italian-Swiss pianist, Francesco Piemontesi quickly forged his reputation as a leading interpreter of the German classical and romantic repertoire. He also guests with the most wonderful orchestras in concert halls and festivals all around the world. Yet he retains strong ties to the shores of Lake Maggiore, where he was artistic director for the Settimane Musicali di Ascona from 2012 to 2025. His repertoire mainly comprises Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Liszt, but also Bach and Handel, Ravel, Debussy, Bartók, Rachmaninov, Schönberg, also taking in Messiaen and Chin. Among his greatest influences, the musician insists on the importance of his masters, Arie Vardi and Alfred Brendel, but above all Cécile Ousset. He is also responsible for an impressive discography. His latest opus, released on Pentatone, is dedicated to the twelve Transcendental Etudes and the Piano Sonata in B minor by Franz Liszt. Francesco Piemontesi was recently artist in residence at the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra and the Gstaad Menuhin Festival. He maintains close ties with the Wigmore Hall in London, where he embarked on a performance of Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas in 2025.
Concert recorded by RTS, coming soon on RTS Espace 2 and the PlayRTS app.
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