Damascus, May 6 (SANA) The Syrian National Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Ghassan al-Aboud, performed a classical music evening Tuesday at the Damascus Opera House featuring a selection of internationally renowned works.
The orchestra opened the program with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, composed in Vienna in 1800. The performance moved through the work’s four movements, evolving from restrained passages to more dynamic orchestral expressions that marked the composer’s first symphony.
From the German classical and Romantic repertoire, the orchestra performed the overture Fingal’s Cave by Felix Mendelssohn, a piece inspired by natural soundscapes and ocean waves.
The evening continued with a waltz from the ballet Masquerade by Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian, combining romantic themes with a distinct sense of melancholy.
The concert concluded with the symphonic poem Finlandia by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
Maestro al-Aboud said he was proud to conduct the orchestra in his first performance at the Damascus Opera House, describing the event as an important cultural occasion.
Mohammad Zaghloul, chairman of the orchestra’s board, said the large audience turnout reflected continued public interest in classical music, adding that hosting an internationally recognized Syrian conductor brought artistic value to the orchestra.
The evening was attended by Transport Minister Yarub Badr, diplomats from the French, Italian and Austrian embassies, and a large audience of music enthusiasts.
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