Before John Axelrod reached for the conductor’s baton, he managed a Californian vineyard and scouted talent for the BMG label (not unsuccessfully, either – he discovered the Smashing Pumpkins in a Chicago basement). And yet, as foretold by his mentor Leonard Bernstein, Axelrod was born to be a conductor, and it is this profession that brought him global acclaim.

The American artist returns to Kraków after a pretty long break. And there’s a special occasion: it’s 25 years since Axelrod first worked with the orchestra as guest conductor (he served the function between 2001 and 2009). The anniversary concert, held as part of the cycle Sinfonietta with Stars, features the selections of works by Mahler himself or orchestrated by Mahler for the string orchestra. (Barbara Skowrońska)

Gustav Mahler Adagietto from Symphony No. 5
Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet in F minor "Serioso", Op. 95 (arr. G. Mahler)
Franz Schubert String Quartet in D minor "Death and the Maiden" D 810 (arr. G. Mahler)

Sinfonietta Cracovia
John Axelrod – conductor