La Scala has chosen Mendelssohn’s grand “Lobgesang” Symphony under Riccardo Chailly’s baton for the end of the year celebrations. In the Christmas Concert on 22 December, the Scala Orchestra and Chorus will perform the great semi-sacred fresco that Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy composed in 1840 after biblical texts to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing.

Although it is classified as Symphony No. 2, the Symphony-Cantata called “Lobgesang” (Hymn of Praise) was actually composed after the “Reformation” Symphony No 5 (1829-30) and after the “Italian” Symphony No 4 (1830-33).

Distinguished artists form trio of the soloists: the sopranos Soile Isokoski and Christine Jepson and the tenor Christian Elsner.