An eclectic and brilliant artist described as “probably the most engaging maverick in classical music today,” Pekka Kuusisto will beautifully convey the many contrasts found in Prokofiev’s thrilling Second Concerto—from the often dramatic, yet strikingly melodious, opening movements, to the brash, almost demonic passages of the finale. John Storgårds, making a return appearance with the CSO, opens the program with Tchaikovsky’s Hamlet, which vividly captures the atmosphere and characters of Shakespeare’s play, enhanced by dramatic readings by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. The concerts end with Sibelius' nationalistic Lemminkäinen Suite, subtitled “Four Legends from the Kalevala,” including the famous “Swan of Tuonela.”