Composer of the Season

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra has never before performed Gustav Mahler’s major early work Das klagende Lied – The Song of Lamentation – for vocal soloists, choir and orchestra. Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft is thrilled to finally take on Mahler’s youthful masterpiece. “It’s a rare and remarkable piece that should be a real draw for Mahler lovers out there,” says Bancroft.

Mahler began composing the work while still a student at the Vienna Conservatory. The composition took just over a year, and he was 20 when he completed it. However, it would be several decades before the music was performed, and Mahler made several revisions along the way. The text of Das klagende Lied is based on a folk tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.

The soloists are Swedish soprano Miah Persson, Irish mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy, Welsh tenor Elgan Llŷr Thomas and Swedish baritone Arvid Fagerfjäll, together with the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

The concert opens with the world premiere of a new work by this season’s composer, Tebogo Monnakgotla, followed by the imaginative Fairy Tale Poem by Sofia Gubaidulina (1931–2025). “Gubaidulina’s music has become something of an obsession for me. Fairy Tale Poem is a truly beautiful piece,” says Ryan Bancroft, who now begins his third season as Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Read more about chief conductor Ryan Bancroft

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra has never before performed Gustav Mahler’s major early work Das klagende Lied – The Song of Lamentation – for vocal soloists, choir and orchestra. Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft is thrilled to finally take on Mahler’s youthful masterpiece. “It’s a rare and remarkable piece that should be a real draw for Mahler lovers out there,” says Bancroft.

Mahler began composing the work while still a student at the Vienna Conservatory. The composition took just over a year, and he was 20 when he completed it. However, it would be several decades before the music was performed, and Mahler made several revisions along the way. The text of Das klagende Lied is based on a folk tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.

The soloists are Swedish soprano Miah Persson, Irish mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy, Welsh tenor Elgan Llŷr Thomas and Swedish baritone Arvid Fagerfjäll, together with the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

The concert opens with the world premiere of a new work by this season’s composer, Tebogo Monnakgotla, followed by the imaginative Fairy Tale Poem by Sofia Gubaidulina (1931–2025). “Gubaidulina’s music has become something of an obsession for me. Fairy Tale Poem is a truly beautiful piece,” says Ryan Bancroft, who now begins his third season as Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Read more about chief conductor Ryan Bancroft

When Anton Holmer conducted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra last year in Ravel’s Bolero and music by Debussy, Dagens Nyheter’s Camilla Lundberg gave the concert a top score – five out of five! Holmer is without a doubt one of Sweden’s most prominent young conductors, with growing international recognition. Now he returns to the podium to lead the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic in music by Franz Schubert and Tebogo Monnakgotla.

Schubert was in his early twenties when he composed his Sixth Symphony. It is often referred to as the “Little C major” to distinguish it from the “Great C major” Symphony No. 9. But the label is misleading – this is jubilant music, full of youthful energy. The beautiful melody in the second movement was later used by famous the beloved Swedish comedy duo Hasse and Tage in their revue Spader Madame! – where it became Donna Juanita, sung by Monica Zetterlund.

Tebogo Monnakgotla is the 2025–26 Season Composer at Konserthuset Stockholm. One of Sweden’s most acclaimed composers, she is represented here with The Robin – music inspired by the song of the European robin and by Selma Lagerlöf’s fairy-tale bird Rödbröst (Redbreast).

When Anton Holmer conducted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra last year in Ravel’s Bolero and music by Debussy, Dagens Nyheter’s Camilla Lundberg gave the concert a top score – five out of five! Holmer is without doubt one of Sweden’s most prominent young conductors, also making his mark internationally.

Now he returns to the podium, joined by acclaimed German violinist Arabella Steinbacher – renowned for her rich tone and effortless virtuosity. She made her Konserthuset debut in 2012, and during her most recent visit in 2024, she performed Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto. This time, the programme features Mozart’s majestic and powerful Violin Concerto No. 5.

Schubert was in his early twenties when he composed his Sixth Symphony. It is often referred to as the “Little C major” to distinguish it from the “Great C major” Symphony No. 9 – a label that hardly does it justice. This is jubilant music full of youthful vitality. The beautiful melody in the second movement was later used by the beloved Swedish comedy duo Hasse and Tage in their revue Spader Madame! – where it became Donna Juanita, sung by Monica Zetterlund.

Tebogo Monnakgotla is the 2025–26 Season Composer at Konserthuset Stockholm. One of Sweden’s most celebrated composers, she is represented here with The Robin – music inspired by the song of the European robin and Selma Lagerlöf’s fairytale bird Rödbröst (Redbreast).