Following the first concert in the Piano Concerto series, Michael Laus will be performing as both conductor and soloist in Concert Two of the same series featuring the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra at the Manoel Theatre on Friday.

This concert will see two striking and dramatic works by Mozart, composed only two years apart and both written in the dark, chilling key of D minor. Two blasting chords announce the beginning of his masterful Don Giovanni Overture, which provides the perfect canvas for Mozart’s most renowned and influential keyboard concerto – Piano Concerto N.o 20 in D minor, K. 466.

The second half transports the audience through five movements of music in Schumann’s last and arguably most beautiful symphony – Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Rhenish, so called because he wrote it on the famous Rhine River.

Mro Laus has guest-conducted a number of prestigious international orchestras and performs regularly as piano and harpsichord player.

Audiences can look forward to the third and last of the piano concertos in this series featuring conductor Kaspar Zehnder, and Natacha Chircop and Marco Rivoltini as soloists on May 27.

• The concert starts at 8pm. Tickets at €10 to €30 may be obtained by sending an e-mail to bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt, online at www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, email or by calling 2124 6389.

For further information, visit www.maltaorchestra.com.