On Friday 15 July at 19:00 and Sunday 17 July at 15:00, Flemish conductor Rik Ghesquière, in collaboration with the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra, will bring three pieces to the Brooklyn Theatre: Mozart - Symphony no 31 in D Major K297 - “Paris”, Rodrigo - Concierto d’Aranjuez for Guitar & Orchestra (with soloist James Grace (guitar)) and Beethoven - Symphony no. 3 in E flat Major, opus 55 Eroica.

Mozart's ‘Paris’ Symphony from 1778 is one of his most festive works and a brilliant musical statement declaring that the young composer was on the threshold of his artistic maturity.

The Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo was inspired by the gardens at Palacio Real de Aranjuez, the spring resort palace and gardens built by Philip II in the last half of the 16th century. The work attempts to transport the listener to another place and time through the evocation of the sounds of nature. Composed in early 1939, in Paris, amid the tensions of the impending war, it was the first work Rodrigo wrote for guitar and orchestra. The instrumentation is unusual: rarely does the guitar face the forces of a full orchestra. Instead, the guitar is never overwhelmed, remaining the solo instrument throughout.

Beethoven's Third Symphony is regarded as a turning point in musical history, and it marks the beginning of his career's second period. The "Eroica" was long, technically challenging and aimed at more than entertainment — components that initially confused critics. After a few years, they began to see value beyond the aesthetic.