Leonidas Kavakos at the Oslo Opera House

An evening like no other 

Violin star Leonidas Kavakos is celebrated across the globe for his vibrant and intuitive interpretations, unrivalled technique and profound musical integrity. 

In spring of 2024, he thrilled the audience at the Oslo Opera House when he performed Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. 

When he returns to Oslo in November 2025, again with his Stradivarius, expect a concert in a class of its own. 

I wonder if even Paganini could have matched him

GRAMOPHONE ON LEONIDAS KAVAKOS 

Four Works for Violin and Piano 

The program features works by Mozart, Shostakovich, Schubert, and Stravinsky. Mozart composed his Sonata in E minorin 1778, during the period when his mother passed away, a sorrowful event that is clearly reflected in the poignantly beautiful music. 

When Schubert wrote his Rondo in B minor, he had not composed for nearly a decade. The work was published in 1827 under the title Rondeau Brillante — a name the publisher chose for its virtuosic character. The rondo was written especially for the young Czech violinist Josef Slavík and consists of two main parts: a slower, grand introduction followed by a faster and rhythmically powerful section in rondo form. 

Finally, the program concludes with one of Stravinsky’s lesser-known works — his Divertimento, based on excerpts from the 1928 ballet The Fairy’s Kiss, which in turn was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Maiden. The ballet itself was not a success, but the score is remarkably listener-friendly, filled with devotion, wit, and imagination. 

About Leonidas Kavakos  

The Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos is considered one of the world’s leading violinists. He closely collaborates with a number of prestigious orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. 

In recent years, he has also earned a solid reputation as a conductor, leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Gürzenich Orchestra, and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. 

Kavakos has an exclusive contract with Sony Classics. He grew up in the city of Athens, where he currently holds annual master classes in violin and chamber music. The violin he plays is a ‘Willemotte’ Stradivarius from 1734. 

Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sonata in E Minor K304
Dmitrij Sjostakovitsj Sonata
Franz Schubert Rondo i b-moll D. 895
Igor Stravinsky Divertimento