Like Beethoven’s Fifth and his compatriot Shostakovich’s Fifth, Prokofiev’s Fifth marked an artistic breakthrough. Marin Alsop describes how this landmark symphony, considered his greatest work for its heroic grandeur and emotional depth, symbolized a turning point in the spirit of his people. With the composer himself on the podium, the first performance of this piece in 1945 occurred just moments after Red Army soldiers achieved victory by crossing the River Vistula and entering Nazi Germany in the final months of World War II.