The Manoel Theatre in collaboration with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra is presenting two iconic works from the Romantic Russian School. They are Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade on Friday at 8 p.m.

Scherazade is based on the mythical One Thousand and One Nights, also known as The Arabian Nights. In his work Rimsky-Korsakov manages to capture the perfumes, colour, brilliance and exoticism of the “oldest part of the Old World”.

The work is not a narrative but a highly descriptive one, worked out symphonically, bringing out the flavours of the East within harmonies of the West.

Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto, on the other hand, is a display of exuberance and technical mastery not only for the soloist but also for the leading violinist and cellist.

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be conducted by Gintaras Rinkevicius, one of Lithuania’s most outstanding conductors, who is currently the chief conductor and artistic leader of the Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra.

Ukrainian pianist Yozef Örmény, a graduate of the Lviv National Conservatoire and the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire will feature as soloist in Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto.

Mr Örmény is currently professor and dean at the Piano Faculty of the Lviv National Conservatoire.

• Tickets for the concert may be obtained by phone on 2124 6389, e-mail: bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt or online: www.teatrumanoel.com.mt. A pre-concert talk at 7.15 p.m. will be open to all ticket holders.