CSA Announces Lineup for Season Under Jean-Marie Zeitouni

Subscriptions go on sale today for the Columbus Symphony's 2011-12 Masterworks and Pops Seasons, the first full schedule under the leadership of recently installed Music Director Jean-Marie Zeitouni.

For the first time in the CSO's 60-year history, four of the 12 Masterworks programs will be performed at the Southern Theatre. Opened in 1896, the Southern is the oldest surviving theatre in central Ohio and one of the oldest in the state. Since undergoing a $10 million renovation in 1998, it offers concert-goers exceptional acoustics and an intimate setting.

"The music selections for the coming season were chosen very carefully and reflect a wide variety of repertoire that is rich in orchestral color," stated Jean-Marie Zeitouni, CSO Music Director. "I think people will really enjoy the addition of the Southern Theatre and the two new concert series, as I feel it will give us the opportunity to engage patrons on a more personal level."

Also new this season are two new concert series-Rush Hour Concerts and Sound Bites Concerts. The series will provide a unique, informal concert experience for those curious to explore the inner workings of classical music in an interactive, conversational format.

Rush Hour Concerts will be 60-75 minute, Thursday evening programs that will be paired with four of the Ohio Theatre Masterworks programs-Russian Soul, Folk Roots, Themes & Variations, and The Satirist & the Philosopher-and will provide an in-depth look at one or two works that will be performed in each program.

Sound Bites Concerts will be 60-minute lunch hour programs which follow a similar format, but will showcase the four Southern Theatre Masterworks programs-String Summit, Dialogues, McGegan Returns!, and Inspired by The Bard. Sound Bites Concerts will be held at 12pm on the Fridays prior to those programs, and patrons are welcome to bring their lunch.

Jean-Marie will conduct both the Masterworks season opening special event, Carmina Burana, on Thursday, October 13, as well as the Pops season opener, "Opera to Broadway," the following Saturday, October 15. The guest soloists engaged for Carmina Burana will also perform in "Opera to Broadway."

The CSO will also be performing the world premiere of a symphony by composer, OSU College of the Arts Dean Emeritus, and OSU School of Music Professor Don Harris, as part of the "The Satirist & the Philosopher" program on April 13 and 14, 2012.

2011-12 MASTERWORKS SEASON
The 2011-12 Masterworks Series is made possible through the generous support of series sponsor Battelle.

Season Opener Special Event - CARMINA BURANA
Thursday, October 13, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
Aline Kutan, soprano
Frédéric Antoun, tenor
Keith Phares, baritone
Columbus Symphony Chorus
Columbus Children's Choir

Program:
Higdon, blue cathedral
Orff, Carmina Burana

Jennifer Higdon's colorful, accessible, and ethereal blue cathedral is one of the most-performed contemporary orchestral works of our time, written by one of America's best contemporary composers. This will be followed by Carl Orff's brazen, evocative, and explosive musical showcase, Carmina Burana, that will feature the Columbus Symphony Chorus, Columbus Children's Choir, and an exceptional trio of guest vocal soloists.

MASTERWORKS 1 - STRING SUMMIT
Friday, October 21, 8pm
Saturday, October 22, 8pm
Sunday, October 23, 3pm
Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
Rachel Barton Pine, violin

Program:
Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta
Barber, Adagio for Strings
Bernstein, Serenade (after Plato's Symposium)

For the Columbus Symphony's inaugural concert in the Southern Theatre, Jean-Marie has selected three 20th-century masterpieces showcasing orchestral strings. The thematic appeal of these well-known Bartok and Barber works is evidenced by their inclusion in the movie soundtracks of Platoon and The Shining. Guest violinist Rachel Barton Pine will perform Bernstein's lively and unpredictable Serenade, inspired by Plato's virtuosic celebration of love-Symposium.

MASTERWORKS 2 - RUSSIAN SOUL
Friday, November 11, 8pm
Saturday, November 12, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor

Program:
Liadov, Kikimora, Op. 63
Rachmaninoff, Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47

Symphonic Dances, the lush, seductive, and magnetic final work of the great Russian Romantic Rachmaninoff is paired with the sonorous and emotional power of the orchestral masterpiece, Symphony No. 5, a true audience favorite and Shostakovich's most-often performed symphony.

MASTERWORKS 3 - DIALOGUES
Friday, November 18, 8pm
Saturday, November 19, 8pm
Sunday, November 20, 3pm
Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
CSO Featured Soloists:
Tom Battenberg and Jeff Korak, trumpets
Luis Biava and Pei-An Chao, cellos
David Thomas, clarinet
Betsy Sturdevant, bassoon

Program:
Gabrieli, Canzon in echo
Vivaldi, Concerto in C Major for Two Trumpets, RV 537
Vivaldi, Concerto in G Minor for Two Cellos, RV 531
Handel, Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op. 6, No. 6
Strauss, Duet Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon, TrV 293
Beethoven, Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21

Great musical conversations abound when Symphony soloists perform artistically engaging dialogues with each other and the orchestra ensemble. Premiered in April 1800, the first of Beethoven's nine symphonies showcases the composer's unique artistic voice, as well as his personal and comedic twist on the musical vocabulary of earlier Classical patriarchs.

MASTERWORKS 4 - MOZART & BRAHMS
Friday, January 6, 8pm
Saturday, January 7, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Matthias Bamert, conductor
Yossif Ivanov, violin

Program:
Mozart, Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, K. 173dB [183]
Mozart, Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219, Turkish
Brahms-Schoenberg, Piano Quartet in G Minor, Op. 25

What would a symphony season be without Mozart and Brahms? Discover the emerging maturity of Mozart's first minor-key symphony and the transformational appeal of a Brahms' string quartet transcribed as a work for full orchestra. Young, Belgium-born violinist Yossif Ivanov will perform the A Major Concerto.

MASTERWORKS 5 - FOLK ROOTS
Friday, January 20, 8pm
Saturday, January 21, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Rossen Milanov, conductor
Anna Polonsky, piano
Orion Weiss, piano

Program:
Kodaly, Dances of Galanta
Poulenc, Concerto in D Minor for Two Pianos
Prokofiev, Symphony No. 4 in C Major, Op. 112 (1947 revision)

Taking as their musical inspiration the folk traditions of their Hungarian, French, and Russian homelands, Kodaly, Poulenc, and Prokofiev celebrate the marriage of grand orchestral vision and intimate cultural voices. Guest pianists Anna Polonsky and husband Orion Weiss offer an unparalleled keyboard collaboration.

MASTERWORKS 6 - MAGNIFICENT MAHLER
Friday, February 10, 8pm
Saturday, February 11, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor

Program:
Wagner, Prelude to Act I of Tristan and Isolde
Mahler, Symphony No. 6 in A Minor, Tragic

Passionate. Inventive. Powerful. Pass the word - Jean-Marie is playing his favorites, and can't wait to tell you why! Join him for an animated, personal prelude to one of his favorite Mahler symphonies, followed by a complete performance of this magnificent work. Wagner's overture will set the stage for a memorable evening of music.

MASTERWORKS 7 - SYMPHONIC GRANDEUR
Friday, February 24, 8pm
Saturday, February 25, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Günther Herbig, conductor
Sara Sant'Ambrogio, cellist

Program:
Weber, Overture to Oberon
Dvo?ák, Concerto in B Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104
Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64

More than a work of solo virtuosity, Dvo?ák's cello concerto places the orchestra in the role of equal partner to brilliant guest cellist Sara Sant'Ambrogio. Tchaikovsky's voyage from despair to hope is gloriously listenable and emotionally satisfying.

MASTERWORKS 8 - McGEGAN RETURNS!
Friday, March 2, 8pm
Saturday, March 3, 8pm
Sunday, March 4, 3pm
Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.)
Nicholas McGegan, conductor
CSO Featured Soloists:
Randy Hester, flute
Leonid Polonsky, violin
Luis Biava, cello

Program:
Rameau, Selections from Dardanus
J.C. Bach, Sinfonia Concertante in C Major for Flute, Oboe, Violin, and Cello, W C 343
Mozart, Chaconne from Idomeneo, K. 367
Haydn, Symphony No. 103 in E-Flat Major, Drumroll

Nicholas McGegan returns with a program showcasing Columbus Symphony musicians performing music from the Baroque and Classical eras. An expert in 18th-century style, McGegan consistently delights audiences and musicians alike with his insightful interpretations.

MASTERWORKS 9 - THEMES & VARIATIONS
Friday, March 16, 8pm
Saturday, March 17, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
Stewart Goodyear, piano

Program:
Brahms, Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a
Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491
Elgar, Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36, Enigma Variations

Some of the most creative and appealing musical "conversations" take the form of themes and variations. In this program, you'll experience three of most popular orchestral examples. Guest pianist Stewart Goodyear returns for a sure-to-be memorable performance of Mozart's most romantic concerto.

MASTERWORKS 10 - INSPIRED BY THE BARD
Friday, March 30, 8pm
Saturday, March 31, 8pm
Sunday, April 1, 3pm
Southern Theate (21 E. Main St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
Michèle Losier, mezzo-soprano
Alisa Suzanne Jordheim, soprano
Columbus Symphony Women's Chorus
CATCO-Phoenix

Program:
Berlioz, "Death of Ophelia" from Tristia
Berlioz, Les Nuits d'été, Op. 7
Mendelssohn, Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61

These colorful works by Berlioz are a nod to Shakespeare's Hamlet and A Midsummer's Night Dream. The women of the Columbus Symphony Chorus will join CATCO-Phoenix for a staged version of The Bard's beloved comedy.

MASTERWORKS 11 - THE SATIRIST & THE PHILOSOPHER
Friday, April 13, 8pm
Saturday, April 14, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor

Program:
Mozart, Overture to Die Zauberflote ("The Magic Flute"), K. 620
Harris, Symphony No. 2 (WORLD PREMIERE)
Strauss, Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30

The creative voices of artists of all disciplines have often been sparked by an interest in the mystical, philosophical, spiritual, and intellectual. From grand opera to tone poem to lighthearted theme and variation, the results demonstrate true originality.

MASTERWORKS 12 - THE FRENCH FEAST
Friday, May 4, 8pm
Saturday, May 5, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
Jennifer Rivera, mezzo-soprano
Columbus Symphony Chorus

Program:
Debussy, Prélude a I'Après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun")
Faure, Pavane, Op. 50
Chausson, Poeme de l'amour et de la mer for Voice and Orchestra, Op. 19 (excerpts)
Ravel, Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloe
Duruflé, Requiem, Op. 9

Sonorous. Sensual. Evocative. This celebration of orchestra virtuosity is delivered with an unmistakably French accent and allure. Jennifer Rivera will charm you with French chansons and the Columbus Symphony Chorus will add its voice to the orchestral instrumentation.

2011-12 POPS SEASON

OPERA TO BROADWAY
Saturday, October 15, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
Aline Kutan, soprano
Frédéric Antoun, tenor
Keith Phares, baritone
Columbus Symphony Chorus
Superb voices, lush orchestrations, evocative lyrics, and expressive melodies! The Columbus Symphony Pops Season opens with Jean-Marie at the podium and an evening of audience favorites from the worlds of opera and Broadway.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: A SALUTE TO Frank Sinatra
Saturday, November 5, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Matt Catingub, conductor, arranger, pianist, vocalist
Matt Catingub returns to pay tribute to the music of Frank Sinatra. Enjoy Ol' Blue Eyes standards including "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Come Fly With Me," "I've Got the World on a String," and "My Kind of Town."

HOLIDAY POPS
Friday, December 2, 8pm
Saturday, December 3, 8pm
Sunday, December 4, 3pm
Ronald J. Jenkins, conductor
Columbus Symphony Chorus
A great annual Columbus tradition continues as Ronald J. Jenkins leads the Columbus Symphony and Chorus in some of the season's most-loved holiday songs and carols. Santa will also be on hand to help spread holiday cheer!

THE GERSHWINS' HERE TO STAY with pianist Kevin Cole
Saturday, January 28, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
This all-new multimedia symphony show features a number of newly arranged charts for orchestra plus rarely seen visuals from the Gershwin archives. Celebrate the lives of George and Ira Gershwin through family photos, artwork, and privately held manuscripts woven into a narrative evening of music performed by the Columbus Symphony.

Johnny Mathis
Saturday, March 24, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
The 1958 greatest hits album of three-time Grammy-nominated Johnny Mathis spent more than 490 continuous weeks (almost ten years) on the Billboard Top Albums chart. Now this legendary icon joins the Columbus Symphony for an evening of romantic ballads, classic standards, and the best of Broadway. "Chances Are" it's an evening not to be missed!

DISNEY IN CONCERT: MAGICAL MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES
Saturday, April 28, 8pm
Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.)
Albert-George Schram, conductor
Come be enchanted by Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, conductor Albert-George Schram, projected clips, still cells, and storyboard art from the films, plus four leading vocalists. Every new generation has a favorite Disney musical, whether it's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Aladdin, or The Lion King. And then there are the classics, from a Mary Poppins medley to the "Yo ho" of Pirates of the Caribbean. When everyone joins together for memorable moments and melodies that Mouseketeers of all ages know by heart, it feels like a small world, after all.

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Subscriptions for the 2011-12 season go on sale today and can be broKen Down into these packages:

Masterworks 12 - Includes all 12 Masterworks programs in both the Ohio and Southern Theatres. Subscription packages range from $360-$738.

Masterworks 8 - Includes the eight Masterworks programs to be performed in the Ohio Theatre only. Subscription packages range from $240-$492.

Masterworks 4 - Includes the four Masterworks programs to be performed in the Southern Theatre only. Subscription packages range from $102-$246.

Masterworks Pick 4 - Choose any four Masterworks programs at the Ohio Theatre only. Subscription packages range from $138-$246.

Rush Hour Concert Subscription - Includes four, 60-75 minute Thursday evening concerts to be held at 6pm at the Ohio Theatre. Rush Hour concerts coincide with the Russian Soul, Folk Roots, Themes & Variations, and The Satirist & the Philosopher programs. Subscriptions are $60 with general admission seating. (Single tickets will be $20.)

Sound Bites Concert Subscription - Includes four, 60-minute Friday concerts to be held at noon at the Southern Theatre. Sound Bites Concerts coincide with the String Summit, Dialogues, McGegan Returns!, and Inspired by The Bard programs. Subscriptions are $45 with general admission seating. (Single tickets will be $15.)

Pops Series Subscription - Includes all six Pops programs to be performed at the Ohio Theatre. Subscription packages range from $126-$369.

Subscriptions can be purchased at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.) or by phone at (614) 228-8600.

The season opening special event Carmina Burana is a stand-alone concert and is not part of any subscription package. However, subscribers will receive a discount for tickets to the one-night-only event.

Programs and artists are subject to change.

www.ColumbusSymphony.com