ROMANCE CONCERT SERIES • CONCERT SERIES 2025/2026

This September, ERSO welcomes back conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier, whose program of French music received wide acclaim in March 2025. Once again, Tortelier will explore the rich world of 19th-century French composers, beginning with the overture to Benvenuto Cellini by Hector Berlioz, a pioneer of modern orchestration. Marcel Johannes Kits will perform a rare gem of the cello repertoire: the concerto by Édouard Lalo. The evening will conclude with one of the best-known works by the short-lived composer Ernest Chausson—his Symphony in B-flat major. 

In October, ERSO is thrilled to be joined once again by internationally acclaimed pianist Kirill Gerstein. Known for his relentless curiosity, boundless imagination, and remarkable virtuosity, Gerstein is one of the most sought-after pianists on the world stage today. In 2023, he celebrated Sergei Rachmaninoff’s 150th anniversary with a critically acclaimed album recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic under Kirill Petrenko. With ERSO, Gerstein will perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, conducted by Olari Elts. The program also features the composer’s Symphony No. 3, alongside a new orchestral work by Evelin Seppar, which will open the concert. 

In November, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, led by its founder and principal conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius, will join ERSO for a special performance at the Estonia Concert Hall. The program will feature Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, a work whose origins trace back to the city of Kassel, where Mahler composed his first vocal cycle, Songs of a Wayfarer. The emotional landscape of that cycle flows seamlessly into his First Symphony, a connection the composer himself often acknowledged. Mahler’s symphony will be paired with Johannes Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1, performed by celebrated Lithuanian pianist Lukas Geniušas. 

As part of the Spring celebrations, legendary conductor Neeme Järvi, who began his musical journey as a percussionist, will make a much-anticipated return to ERSO’s stage. He will be joined by the dynamic Estonian Percussion Group, an ensemble of four virtuoso percussionists: Karl Johann Lattikas, Lauri Metsvahi, Tiit Joamets, and Tanel-Eiko Novikov. Their passion and skill bring a unique energy that resonates with audiences of all ages. Earlier in 2025, the ensemble made headlines with a remarkable concert marathon, performing ten concerts across Estonia in a single night. For this concert, they will join forces with ERSO for a performance of Antonín Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances, arranged by Peeter Vähi. 

I: French Moods. Tortelier and Kits 

Friday, 26 September 2025 at 19:00 

Estonia Concert Hall 

Hector Berlioz Overture to the opera Benvenuto Cellini 

Édouard Lalo Cello Concerto 

Ernest Chausson Symphony in B-flat major 

MARCEL JOHANNES KITS cello,  ERSO,  conductor YAN PASCAL TORTELIER 

II: Elts and Gerstein 

Friday, 10 October 2025 at 18:00 (pre-concert) and 19:00 

Estonia Concert Hall 

Evelin Seppar New work 

Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 

Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 3 

KIRILL GERSTEIN piano, ERSO, conductor OLARI ELTS 

III: Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. Brahms and Mahler 

Friday, 21 November 2025 at 19:00 

Estonia Concert Hall 

Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 

Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 1 

LUKAS GENIUŠAS piano, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, conductor GINTARAS RINKEVIČIUS 

IV: Neeme Järvi and Dvořák 

Wednesday, 29 April 2026 at 19:00 

Estonia Concert Hall 

Antonín Dvořák / arr. Peeter Vähi Slavonic Dances, Op. 46 

Antonín Dvořák Slavonic Dances, Op. 72 

Estonian Percussion Group, ERSO, conductor NEEME JÄRVI