Hisaishi, Rachmaninov and Scriabin

Some composers think bigger, but it takes a special sort of genius to create a whole new musical universe. Everything about Scriabin’s Third Symphony is larger than life, from the enormous orchestra to the galactic ambition of Scriabin’s inspiration – music that he described as ‘ecstatic’, ‘drunken’ and even ‘divine’. If you like Mahler, you’ll love The Divine Poem and for Vasily Petrenko, it’s a passion – a musical experience that doesn’t come around every day.

It’s a thrilling, colourful counterpart to a delightful new work – and UK Premiere – from Joe Hisaishi (My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away) starring three solo horns and bursting with all the imagination you’d expect from Studio Ghibli’s house composer, and the RPO’s Composer-in-Association.

Rachmaninov’s evocative tone poem, inspired by a black and white reproduction of Arnold Böcklin’s Isle of the Dead painting, launches an evening full of wonders.