Mediterranean Sunshine

When the young Felix Mendelssohn saw Italy for the first time, his heart leaped for joy. In his Italian Symphony, you can hear it doing exactly that: because from spirited opening to whirling folk-dance finish, this is a picture-postcard come to exuberant, sunshiny life. It is as much fun to play as it is to hear and, under charismatic guest conductor Nil Venditti, it will make a joyful ending to a concert that sparkles with melody and warmth. Martucci basks in a fragrant Mediterranean night, Tchaikovsky pays tuneful homage to his idol Mozart, and Amadeus himself turns the humble bassoon into an operatic hero, as RPO Principal Bassoon Richard Ion takes centre stage in a concerto that’s equal parts elegance, romance and sheer unbuttoned fun.