Shostakovich: Symphonies, Concertos and Lady Macbeth

In the fifty years since Shostakovich’s death on August 9, 1975, his stature has only continued to grow and he is now recognized as one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. Moreover, his relationship to the Soviet regime continues to fascinate. Was he a loyal servant or an embittered closet-dissident? For Boston Symphony Orchestra music director Andris Nelsons, who experienced the Soviet system firsthand growing up in Latvia, and who has spent much of his career studying and conducting Shostakovich’s music, these questions are irrelevant: “The greatness of his music lies beyond politics. It speaks to people whether they know the times he lived in or not.”