Sol Gabetta and Leonard Slatkin

Sol Gabetta hand-in-hand with Leonard Slatkin after a debut performance of Martinu’s Cello Concerto No. 1.

In her debut performance with the LA Philharmonic, cellist Sol Gabetta offered a show-stopping performance that demanded an encore. As a part of the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, Gabetta performed Martinů’s Cello Concerto No. 1 under the direction of conductor Leonard Slatkin.

Slatkin primed the audience for an exciting afternoon program: the LA Phil started off with a performance of Rossini’s William Tell Overture, followed by Martinů’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E minor with Gabetta at the helm. Gabetta played with a noticeable force—passionately leaning into each note, smiling while navigating through complex passages. In between the Allegro moderato and Andante poco moderato movements, she ripped off broken bow hair with a smile, and nodded at Slatkin to signal she was ready to continue. The concerto was a LA Phil debut—both it and Gabetta received a standing ovation.


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The program ended with the LA Phil performing Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique. For more information on the Piatigorsky Cello Festival, click here.