Skopje, 23 January 2025 (MIA) — This evening's "Philharmonic in Cyrillic" concert will be held without a soloist, after pianist Nina Kostova had to cancel her appearance because of illness, the Philharmonic said in a press release.

Because of the short notice, the Philharmonic was unable to find a replacement for Kostova so the orchestra will play a concert featuring only symphonic music, the release said.

Those who had purchased tickets specifically to see Kostova perform may return them to the Philharmonic box office.

Borjan Canev will conduct the concert adapted to accommodate her absence. The concert will be performed without an intermission. 

The orchestra will perform Russian composer and pianist Alexander Scriabin's "Symphony No. 2, Op. 29, in C minor," written in 1901, and the Prelude to Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina" opera, written between 1872 and 1880 and subtitled "a national music drama."

Known as the romantic to end Romanticism, and for drawing inspiration from symbolist poetry and philosophy, Scriabin wrote his "Symphony No. 2, Op. 29, in C minor" in a late-Romantic idiom, with "hints of mystical and transcendental motifs, which would become dominant in his later works," according to the release.

"The opera 'Khovanshchina', on the other hand, is known for the deep emotional sensitivity typical of Mussorgsky's oeuvre, his innovative use of folklore elements, and for being a vivid portrait of Russian society," the release notes. mr/