Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

Under the baton of its fiery Dutch music director Jaap van Zweden, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France gives us a 360° exploration of the orchestra’s abundant resources with two contrasting masterpieces of the repertoire, preceded by a contemporary and festive work!

In 2026, Franco-American composer Betsy Jolas celebrates her 100th birthday — the perfect occasion to reprise B-day, her surprising variations on Happy Birthday, originally composed for her 80th, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the Boston Modern Orchestra.

Shifting gears, Mozart’s famous Symphony No. 40 follows, with its mysterious origins reflected in the unforgettable opening theme, and the dramatic developments that make it unique among the great works of this brilliant composer. The performance concludes with a pivotal work in music history: Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du printemps (1913), in which all orchestral conventions are shattered, in celebration of the untamed, primal forces of nature through ritualistic music now become universal.

Musical director Jaap van Zweden

^{photo © DR}

Betsy Jolas
B-day

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphonie n° 40

Igor Stravinsky
Le Sacre du printemps