Ute Lemper in 'The Seven Deadly Sins' presented in concert

As a young composer,Kurt Weill (1900 - 1950) was drawn to musical theatre and vocal music, and his songs were tremendously popular throughout Germany by the beginning of the 1930s. He composed his sung ballet (ballet chanté), The Seven Deadly Sins(Die sieben Todsünden) in 1933, a very turbulent time throughout Europe. Because of his Jewish background and creative collaborations with leftist writer Bertolt Brecht, Weill was forced to flee his native country and settle in Paris. The highly satirical The Seven Deadly Sins was Weill's last work composed in his European theatre style, most notably characterized by its directness. After his death in 1950, his widow Lotte Lenya revived this remarkable work, known for its biting critique of capitalism and remarkably haunting music. Since then, it has never lost its appeal with audiences and performers alike. Ms. Lemper's 1990 recording of The Seven Deadly Sinsis available on the Decca label.

Also heard on the program will be Dmitri Shostakovich "Symphony No. 11 in G Minor, Op. 103 "The Year 1905."