Programme & Tickets

Steven Isserlis. Connie Shih
Discoveries in the Cello World

Tickets

14 Apr 2026
17:00

Aula of Alte Universität

Musikfestival

The British star cellist Steven Isserlis is a creative sound color magician with an exquisite tone. Together with his long-standing piano partner Connie Shih, he demonstrates his wide-ranging musical interests. Framed by catchy works from the classical and romantic periods, compositions from the 20. and 21st century. Isserlis calls Russian composer Dmitri Kabalevsky's Cello Sonata, premiered by Mstislav Rostropovich in 1962, an addictive masterpiece. He expresses his particular enthusiasm for Gabriel Fauré in his second cello sonata from 1921, which is characterized by pulsating joy and ecstatic energy. It becomes completely contemporary when music from Thomas Adès' opera "The Tempest", which premiered in London in 2004, is played in between.

At 16:00: Introduction to the concert "Notenschlüssel" with Marcus Imbsweiler (made possible by the Heidelberger Frühling Freundeskreis)

Steven Isserlis

Violoncello

Connie Shih

Piano

Ludwig van Beethoven
Twelve variations on "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" from Mozart's opera "Die Zauberflöte" op. 66

Dmitri Kabalevsky
Sonata for violoncello and piano in B flat major op. 71

Thomas Adès
"Full fathom five" from "The Tempest" (2003/2004)

Gabriel Fauré
Sonata for violoncello and piano No. 2 in G minor op. 117

Robert Schumann
Adagio and Allegro in A flat major op. 70

Aula of Alte Universität
Grabengasse 1
69117 Heidelberg

Directions by Public Transport

Bus routes: 29, 33 (stop: Universitätsplatz), 20, 30, 31, 36 (stop: Peterskirche)
S-Bahn: S1, S2, S5 (stop: S-Bahnhof Altstadt)

Parking facilities for bicycles available Directions by Car

Parking garages: P9 Am Theater, P10 Friedrich-Ebert-Platz, P11 University Library

The Alte Universität is barrier-free accessible via ramp at the main entrance. The elevator can be found next to the staircase leading to the concert hall on the 1st floor.
More information on accessibility

General Ticket Information