Surrey Mozart Players - New Season Opening Concert
Smetana – Vltava
Mozart – Aria L’amerò, sarò costante?
Richard Strauss - Orchestral Songs Selection including Cäcillie, Befreit, Amor & Morgen!
Sibelius - Symphony No. 1
Soprano April Fredrick
Conductor Philip Ellis
Leader Annmarie McDade
Our opening concert of the season contains two Romantic orchestral masterpieces and ravishing songs by Mozart and Richard Strauss. It promises to be a memorable evening.
To open the concert the sweeping beauty of Vltava takes us on a musical journey down the majestic river that flows through the heart of Bohemia. It is one of six tone poems from the set Ma Vlast (My Homeland).
Mozart’s aria “L’amerò, sarò costante” is a tender and expressive piece from his early opera Il re pastore (1775), written when he was just 19. Sung by the character Aminta, a shepherd in love with Elisa, the aria showcases Mozart’s gift for lyrical beauty and emotional sincerity. Accompanied delicately by a solo violin, it blends pastoral charm with heartfelt devotion, as Aminta vows to love faithfully and remain true—no matter the trials he faces.
Strauss’s songs—Cäcilie, Befreit, Amor, and Morgen!—offer a radiant glimpse into the Romantic lyricism of Richard Strauss. Originally composed for voice and piano, they are often performed in lush orchestral settings that amplify their emotional depth. Ranging from passionate declaration (Cäcilie) to serene farewell (Befreit), playful charm (Amor), and sublime tranquillity (Morgen!), the set reflects Strauss’s exquisite sensitivity to poetry, voice, and orchestral colour.
Sibelius’s First Symphony is a powerful and emotionally charged work blending Romantic intensity with a distinct Nordic character. Its soaring melodies and strong sense of national identity mark Sibelius’s emergence as a major symphonic voice.
