This Friday evening, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO), under music director Lin Daye, joins virtuoso pianist Marc?André Hamelin for a program of Ravel and Berlioz.

Pianist Marc-André Hamelin. Photos courtesy of SZSO

The program pairs two of Ravel’s piano concertos — the “Piano Concerto in G Major” and the “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major” — with Berlioz’s monumental “Symphonie fantastique,” promising a rich evening of French music.

Hamelin, often praised as “a player of nearsuperman technique,” is celebrated for his extraordinary virtuosity, incisive readings of difficult repertoire, and wide-ranging musical interests. 

Equally at home in canonical works and neglected repertoire from the 19th to 21st centuries, he is an exclusive Hyperion Records artist with some 89 albums to his name and has earned honors including the German Record Critics’ Lifetime Achievement Award, seven Juno Awards, 12 Grammy nominations, and the Order of Canada.

Ravel’s “Piano Concerto in G Major” offers lyrical melodies and a buoyant finale, a modern take on divertimento with sparkling colors and spontaneous joy. 

The “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand,” commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein after he lost his right arm in World War I, showcases Ravel’s orchestral ingenuity — opening with deep, chantlike lines before unfolding virtuosic, jazztinged piano writing and a brilliant climax.

SZSO music director Lin Daye.

The second half features Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique,” widely regarded as an early example of programmatic symphonic writing. Inspired by Berlioz’s obsession with the actress Harriet Smithson, the work traces a dramatic arc driven by an idée fixe that returns in varied guises — from longing and reverie to hallucinatory frenzy. Since its Paris premiere in 1830, the piece has remained a staple of the repertory.

Lin, the first Chinese conductor to win the Solti International Conducting Competition, brings a firm grounding in the GermanAustrian tradition together with a keen sensitivity to the coloristic demands of French repertoire.

Expect an evening of Ravel’s wit and lyricism and Berlioz’s passion and fantasy at Shenzhen Concert Hall.

Time: 8 p.m., Sept. 26

Tickets: 80-880 yuan

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音樂廳)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宮站), Exit D