This one’s a big deal for classical fans — Daniel Harding, one of the most respected conductors of his generation, leads Italy’s legendary Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Shanghai for one night only. The program features Verdi’s Overture to Les vêpres siciliennes, Ravel’s jazzy Piano Concerto in G Major performed by rising star Beatrice Rana, and Rachmaninoff’s lush Symphony No. 2. Expect world-class musicianship and a night of pure orchestral brilliance.

About the Orchestra

Founded in 1908, the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia was Italy’s first ensemble dedicated exclusively to symphonic music and remains one of the country’s most prestigious orchestras. Known as the “national treasure” of symphonic music in the land of opera, it premiered Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome, and has been led by an extraordinary lineup of conductors including Mahler, R. Strauss, Stravinsky, Toscanini, Karajan, and Abbado.

In 2024, Daniel Harding succeeded Sir Antonio Pappano as Music Director, ushering in a new era for the orchestra. The ensemble regularly performs at the world’s top festivals—Lucerne, Salzburg, the Proms—and in major concert halls such as the Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Musikverein, and Carnegie Hall.

Their acclaimed recordings under Pappano include collaborations with Martha Argerich, Jonas Kaufmann, and Anna Netrebko, earning multiple international awards. Under Harding, the orchestra has launched a new series with Deutsche Grammophon, beginning with Puccini’s Tosca, recorded live in October 2024.

About the Conductor

Daniel Harding

Daniel Harding became Music Director of the Orchestra and Chorus of Santa Cecilia in 2024. He previously served as Music Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (2007–2025), Orchestre de Paris (2016–2019), and Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra (2007–2017).

Harding has conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. A respected opera conductor, he has led productions at La Scala, Vienna State Opera, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Fun fact — he’s also a licensed airline pilot.

About the Pianist

Beatrice Rana

Italian pianist Beatrice Rana has taken the classical world by storm with her artistry and emotional depth. A Van Cliburn Competition silver medalist (2013) and Montreal International Competition winner (2011), she has since performed on major stages across the globe.

Rana studied under Benedetto Lupo and Arie Vardi, and in 2017 founded her own chamber music festival Classiche Forme in Lecce, which has become one of Italy’s most important summer music events.

Program

• Verdi: Overture to Les vêpres siciliennes
• Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major — Piano: Beatrice Rana
• Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2

Program subject to change.