SIBELIUS Prelude and Suite No. 1 (from The Tempest)
SIBELIUS Six Humoresques
ADÈS Märchentänze
ADÈS Five Spells (from The Tempest)

Composer-conductor Thomas Adès’s Cleveland Orchestra conducting debut features two musical interpretations of Shakespeare’s The Tempest — one by Sibelius, and the other by Adès himself in its US premiere. Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto brings his effortless mastery to Sibelius’ folk-tinged humoresques and a similarly folk music-infused work by Adès. In his Los Angeles studio, surrounded by the seeds of new works, Adès reflects on the artistic necessity of keeping nature close at hand. He also shares his kinship with Jean Sibelius: another boundary-pushing composer, perpetually on the edge.