Two composers—Ludwig van Beethoven and Edvard Grieg—and two landscapes, yet a single underlying idea: nature is not to be described, but felt. In his Symphony No. 6, the “Pastoral” (premiered at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna on December 22, 1808), Beethoven noted in the manuscript that the work was “more an expression of feeling than tone painting”; the songs of birds, the scene by the brook, and the thunderstorm are all transfigured into pure emotion. The result is a five-movement symphony that concludes with a sense of gratitude following the storm. Eighty years later, in his Suite No. 1 from*Peer Gynt*, Op. 46 (1888), Edvard Grieg gathered four pieces originally composed as incidental music for Ibsen’s play, which premiered in Christiania in 1876. From the dawn depicted in “Morning Mood”—evoked through a dialogue between flute and oboe—to the dizzying rush of “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” and encompassing the lament of “The Death of Åse” and “Anitra’s Dance,” Grieg brings nature into the orchestra in the form of light, atmosphere, and legend. The common thread is the awakening at dawn, along with the stillness and tension inherent in these landscapes—stretching from the Viennese countryside to the Scandinavian mountains. In this way, the program juxtaposes two distinct approaches—bridging the late Classical era and Romanticism—to experiencing the natural world.

The proceeds from the performance will be donated to the Banco dell’energia Foundation, established 10 years ago to support individuals facing economic and social hardship through initiatives aimed at combating energy poverty. This charity concert, presented by the Bazzini Consort, is made possible in part by the long-standing partnership between A2A and the Fondazione delTeatro Grande—an organization that counts A2A among its founding members.

Prices: €25 full price; €15 reduced price for A2A and Teatro Grande employees, Teatro Grande subscribers, Bazzini Consort members, those over 65, and those under 30