Shostakovich, the Enfant Terrible of Russian Music

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of the great Russian composer. The Verbier Festival pays tribute to Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) with five exceptional concerts, showcasing the full expressive power of his music—where tragic, comic, melancholic, ironic, and sarcastic emotions intertwine and create a unique work. Indeed, it is impossible to listen to his uniquely distinctive music without considering the historical context of the Soviet era under the rule of Stalin and later Khrushchev and Brezhnev.

Author of three complete operas, fifteen symphonies, six concertos, fifteen string quartets, and a rich catalog of chamber music, ballets, and film scores, the St. Petersburg native leaves us with a prodigious legacy. Whether you are familiar with Shostakovich or not, come and discover these concerts with an open mind, performed by exceptional artists.

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21.07 – Evgeny Kissin

The Piano Sonata No. 2 (1943), dedicated to his teacher Leonid Nikolaev, and Two Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 No. 15 & 24 (1950–1951), a tribute to Bach, will be featured in Evgeny Kissin’s recital. (First part: Bach and Chopin).

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24.07 – Renaud Capuçon, Gautier Capuçon, Martha Argerich

The Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 67 (1944) is one of the composer’s most popular and iconic works, renowned for its references to traditional Jewish music (Allegretto). The third movement (Largo) was even performed at the Shostakovich’s public funeral at the Moscow Conservatory.

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29.07 – Antoine Tamestit, Mischa Maisky, Quatuor Ébène, Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin

The highlight of our tribute to Shostakovich, Evgeny Kissin has crafted a fascinating program showcasing the stylistic diversity and emotional depth of the Russian genius. He will first perform the tormented Cello Sonata, Op. 40 (1934) alongside Mischa Maisky. He will then be joined by the Quatuor Ebène for the magnificent Piano Quintet, Op. 57 (1940).

In the second half, Evgeny Kissin and Martha Argerich will present the rare Concertino for Two Pianos, Op. 94 (1954). To conclude this exceptional concert, Antoine Tamestit and Evgeny Kissin will unite for the Viola Sonata, Op. 147 (1975), Shostakovich’s musical testament, composed just days before his death. A truly unmissable evening!

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30.07 – Viktoria Postnikova, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Maharram Huseynov

The legendary Russian pianist will perform both Piano Sonatas: No. 1, Op. 12, composed at the age of 20, and No. 2, Op. 61, premiered by the composer himself in Moscow in 1943. Viktoria Postnikova will then present a rarely performed version of Symphony No. 14, Op. 135, which Shostakovich composed in 1969—a true ode to life and death, set to texts by García Lorca, Apollinaire, and Rilke. This arrangement by the composer, for piano, mezzo-soprano, bass, and percussion, brings a striking purity to the work, making its music even more moving.

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31.07 – Teodor Currentzis

Another “enfant terrible” takes the stage for the final concert in tribute to Shostakovich. For his first appearance in Verbier, the electrifying Teodor Currentzis will conduct the composer’s most famous symphony, No. 5, Op. 47, premiered in 1937 in Leningrad by Evgeny Mravinsky. This masterpiece is charged with an intense emotional tension, reflecting the composer’s deep struggle between loyalty to the regime and his artistic freedom. A must-hear work! (First part of the programme: Tchaikovsky, with the Verbier Festival Orchestra.)