New York City Opera presents Music of Survival: Works by Weinberg, Korngold, and Rovne, with the NYC Opera Orchestra, featuring Constantine Orbelian, Conductor; Kristina Reiko Cooper, Cello; and Elizaveta Ulakhovich, Soprano on Monday, February 24, 2025 at 8pm in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, W. 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, NYC. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2025/02/24/The-New-York-City-Opera-Orchestra-Music-of-Survival-Works-by-Weinberg-Korngold-0800PM. Tickets range from $14 to $85.

This Carnegie Hall concert uncovers the poignant stories of Mieczysław Weinberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold: two 20th-century composers of profound artistry, whose legacy is only recently being restored after being neglected during the Holocaust and its aftermath. This concert also features the American premiere of the beautiful Symphony Metamorphosis by composer Gennady Rovner, sung by the outstanding soprano Elizaveta Ulakhovich. This contemporary piece echoes the same enduring spirit for the 21st century, bridging past and present.

In performing lesser-known cello concertos by Weinberg and Korngold, Kristina Reiko Cooper and Constantine Orbelian hope to facilitate the transcendence of the two composers’ legacy — out of the shadows and towards the recognition their music deserves. We learn about the pieces: Weinberg’s emotional Fantasia for Cello and Orchestra op.52, as well as Korngold’s highly energetic Cello Concerto in C op.37, written for the movie Deceptionin 1946, starring Bette David, Claude Rains, and Paul Heinried. These works, born from the crucible of survival, showcase the profound artistry of composers whose legacies are only now being fully appreciated. As we reflect on the journeys of Weinberg and Korngold, we are reminded of music’s power to transcend borders and foster understanding. This performance invites us to learn from history, encourage empathy, and celebrate the artistic resilience that continues to inspire and unite us.