Conductor Mark Wigglesworth To Lead Utah Symphony In MOZART'S PIANO CONCERTO NO. 27

On January 13 and 14 at 7:30 PM, guest conductor Mark Wigglesworth returns to the Abravanel Hall stage to lead the Utah Symphony in a repertoire of classical favorites. Internationally-acclaimed guest pianist Francesco Piemontesi makes his Utah Symphony debut performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27. Maestro Wigglesworth will also conduct a symphonic suite from Henk de Vlieger's orchestral compilation of music from Wagner's Tristan and Isolde. These performances are part of the O.C. Tanner Company Masterworks Series. Tickets start at $21 ($15 for students), and can be purchased at www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

The program will begin with Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27, the last piano concerto of his career. After its successful debut in March 1791 Mozart became ill in September and died in December of that same year. A strong thematic integration between the movements characterizes this piece-a style which would become increasingly important in the musical evolution of the 19th century.

The emotional and enlightening music drama, Tristan and Isolde by composer Richard Wagner retells the medieval tale of love and loss through passionate musical verse. The enthralling opening movement of this piece with its thoughtful and melodic arcs portend the emotional effect that the piece has in store for audiences. As with many groundbreaking pieces that set the stage for rethinking musical ideals and style, the piece was met with many mixed, often unfavorable reviews. However, before long, it became a cherished piece among the Wagner repertoire and was influential for composers including Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Alban Berg and Arnold Schoenberg. Created in 1994 as a commission for the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Henk de Vlieger's orchestral compilation of music from Tristan and Isolde artfully isolates seven episodes from this non-episodic opera.

Performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27 in his Utah Symphony debut is guest artist Francesco Piemontesi, a pianist of exceptional refinement of expression and consummate technical skill. Widely renowned for his interpretations of Mozart and the early Romantic repertoire, Mr. Piemontesi also has a close affinity with the later 19th century and 20th century repertoire of Brahms, Liszt, Dvo?ák, Ravel, Debussy, and Bartók. Mr. Piemontesi says one of his great teachers and mentors, Alfred Brendel, taught him "to love the detail of things." Francesco Piemontesi appears with major ensembles worldwide: Munich Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Danish National Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Israel Philharmonic, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. In solo recital, he has appeared in many prestigious venues including London's Wigmore Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall in New York, Berlin Philharmonie, and The Wiener Musikverein in Vienna.

Recognized internationally as a masterly interpreter, conductor Mark Wigglesworth creates performances of great sophistication and rare beauty. Mr. Wigglesworth has conducted the Utah Symphony many times; past concerts with the Utah Symphony include the U.S. premiere of Albert Schnelzer's contemporary A Freak in Burbank and Mozart's Symphony No. 35 in 2014 and Tchaikovsky's classic The Nutcracker in 2015. Born in Sussex, England, Mr. Wigglesworth studied music at Manchester University and conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1992, he became Associate Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and further appointments included Principal Guest Conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Mr. Wigglesworth started his operatic career with a period as Music Director of Opera Factory, London, and he has worked regularly at Glyndebourne, Welsh National Opera and English National Opera. He has conducted at the Netherlands Opera; La Monnaie in Brussels; the Sydney Opera House; the Metropolitan Opera, New York; and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

RELATED EVENTS
A pre-concert lecture, free to all ticket holders, will take place at all Masterworks Series performances in Abravanel Hall's 1st Tier Room 45 minutes prior to the performance.

PROGRAM
Utah Symphony Presents
Tristan & Isolde

January 13 & 14, 2017 | 7:30 PM
Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Mark Wigglesworth, Conductor
Francesco Piemontesi, Piano
Utah Symphony

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 27
WAGNER (ARR. HENK DE VLIEGER) Tristan and Isolde, an orchestral passion

SPONSORS
Conductor Sponsor: Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation
Guest Artist Sponsor: Workers Compensation Fund

Tickets, priced from $21-$79, are available for purchase through www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

About the Utah Symphony
Founded in 1940, the Utah Symphony performs more than 175 concerts each season and offers all Utahns easy access to world class live musical performances of the world's greatest music in the state's top venues. Since being named the orchestra's seventh music director in 2009, Thierry Fischer has attracted leading musicians and top soloists, refreshed programming, drawn increased audiences, and galvanized community support. In addition to numerous regional and domestic tours, including the Mighty 5® Tour of Utah's National Parks, the Utah Symphony has embarked on seven international tours and performed at Carnegie Hall in spring 2016 coinciding with the orchestra's 75th anniversary celebrations. The Utah Symphony has released more than 100 recordings, including the new release of Mahler's Symphony No. 1 last fall. Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, the orchestra's parent organization, reaches 450,000 residents in Utah and the Intermountain region, with educational outreach programs serving nearly 145,000 students annually. In addition to performances in its home in Salt Lake City, Abravanel Hall, and concerts throughout the state of Utah, the Utah Symphony participates in Utah Opera's four annual productions at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre and presents the six-week Deer Valley® Music Festival each summer in Park City, Utah. With its many subscription, education, and outreach concerts and tours, the Utah Symphony is one of the most engaged orchestras in the nation. For more information visit www.utahsymphony.org.