/performances/26-27/cso/beethoven-5-mao-fujita/

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, with its iconic four-note motif, stands as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Strauss’ Burlesque — written when the composer was just 21 — makes the perfect pairing, dazzling with pianistic fireworks and mischievous energy. The piece has become a calling card for rising pianist Mao Fujita, who performs it “with the maturity of someone twice his age” (Bachtrack).