Cinderella and the Piccolo

Flautist Anna Riikonen has been a member of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra since 2010. She is often seen playing the piccolo, for which she holds principal responsibility. Now, she steps forward as soloist in a concerto for piccolo together with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra: the American composer Lowell Liebermann’s Piccolo Concerto from 1996.

It is a significant contribution to the modern piccolo repertoire – indeed, few concertos for the instrument have been written since the Baroque era. Here, the small instrument is given an unusually broad palette of colours, ranging from dazzling brilliance to lyrical reflection.

We also hear Prokofiev’s Cinderella Suite, compiled by Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft, based on the well-known fairy tale of Cinderella, with its themes of oppression, dreams and transformation. The music captures both the harsh and the tender: the sharply drawn portraits of the stepfamily, the love story, and the magical atmosphere surrounding midnight. With his characteristic blend of elegance, humour and edge, Prokofiev brings the tale vividly to life.

Read more about chief conductor Ryan Bancroft