ASO: Belshazzar's Feast

• Nathan Berg, bass-baritone
• Vasily Petrenko, conductor

Popular Atlanta Symphony guest conductor Vasily Petrenko returns for the spectacular 20th-century oratorio Belshazzar's Feast, a piece that conjures pagan revelry, cataclysm and rejoicing with striking vividness. Drawn from the Old Testament tale, Walton's 1931 jazz-inspired score calls for an enormous orchestra and vocal ensemble, leaning into the world-class artistry of the magnificent Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Grammy-winning bass-baritone Nathan Berg joins the ensemble. Petrenko opens the concert with Sibelius' lushly Romantic Symphony No. 1.

About Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO)

The ASO consistently affirms its position as one of America’s leading orchestras, educating and engaging through great musical performances featuring outstanding artists.

The Orchestra is known for the excellence of its live performances, renowned choruses, and its impressive list of GRAMMY® Award-winning recordings. The leading cultural organization in the Southeast, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra serves as the cornerstone for artistic development and music education in the region.

About Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus

https://www.aso.org/about-the-aso/conductors-musicians/aso-chorus

About Nathan Berg, bass-baritone

https://www.nathan-berg.com/

About Vasily Petrenko, conductor

Vasily Petrenko is Music Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he took on in 2021, becoming Conductor Laureate of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra following his hugely acclaimed fifteen-year tenure as their Chief Conductor from 2006-2021. He is the Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, and has also served as Chief Conductor of the European Union Youth Orchestra (2015-2024), Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (2013-2020), and Principal Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (2009–2013). He stood down as Artistic Director of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia 'Evgeny Svetlanov' in 2021 having been their Principal Guest Conductor from 2016 and Artistic Director from 2020.