Iberian Suite – National Symphony Orchestra with Christoph Eschenbach

Iberian culture’s impact on France is explored through Ravel’s Boléro, Chabrier’s España, Debussy’s Ibéria, and Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole featuring violinist Leticia Moreno’s NSO debut.

No country has fallen under the Iberian influence more than the peninsula’s neighbor across the Pyrenees: France. Time and again, French composers have been fascinated by the soundscape of Spain –and NSO Music Director Christoph Eschenbach brings four of their works to this eclectic program.

Emmanuel Chabrier celebrates the charms of Spain in España, Édouard Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole features the NSO debut of Spanish violinist Leticia Moreno, hailed for her exalted lyricism and expressivity by El País(Spain). Claude Debussy’s Ibéria is a soaring symphonic journey from his musical travelogue Images. And Maurice Ravel’s passionate ballet score Boléro uses different instruments to steadily crescendo its famous theme to a rambunctious, full-orchestra climax.

One of my earliest childhood musical memories is a recording of Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole –this is when I fell in love with the violin. I was fascinated by all the dazzling Spanish rhythms. To this day, the work brings me great joy and excitement whenever I get to hear or accompany it.

—Natasha Bogachek, NSO violin, on Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole

National Symphony Orchestra with conductor Christoph Eschenbach

• France / Spain.
• Ravel’s Boléro, Debussy’s Ibéria and other French works inspired by Spain.
• Performance duration: Part one, 43 minutes; Intermission, 15 minutes; Part two, 35 minutes.

Presented as part of the Kennedy Center's International Festival IBERIAN SUITE: global arts remix.