Buy Tickets Here Shostakovich & Walton Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 PROGRAMME Walton Cello Concerto Shostakovich Symphony No.5 DINIS SOUSA CONDUCTOR NICOLAS ALTSTAEDT CELLO Was it, or wasn’t it, an act of defiance and bitter retort to Stalin’s displeasure? Shostakovich’s life was so utterly and constantly in peril that he could never publicly declare whether his Fifth Symphony was simply ‘a Soviet artist’s reply to just criticism’ or a satirical puncturing of the dictator, deliberately hollow but dressed as adulation. But either way, it’s a phenomenal piece of music – playful, poignant and magisterial, it’s a blockbuster end to the Season. Walton’s lyrically romantic Cello Concerto sets the scene for Shostakovich’s dramatic fireworks. Did you know that discounts for Ulster Orchestra Classical Season concerts are available from booking as few as four concerts? The discount starts at 10% off, running right up to a 25% discount if you buy all 16. Don’t forget – the more you buy, the more you save! We'd also like to invite you to Share the Love of Music in a new special offer. If you make a multi-buy booking of 10 or more Classical Season concerts before Monday 2 September 2024, you will receive a complimentary pair of tickets for a Classical Season concert to share with friends.