Benjamin Britten News

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Music Director Marin Alsop leads the BSO and the University of Maryland Concert Choir in the centerpiece of the BSO's 2013-2014 season, Britten's War Requiem on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 8 p.m. and Friday, November 15, 2013 at 8 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore. The program also features soprano Tamara Wilson, tenor Nicolas Phan, bass-baritone Ryan McKinny and the Peabody Children's Chorus. These performances celebrate the 100th anniversary of the composer's birth on November 22, 1913. Please see below for complete program details.

During the month of October Sarasota Opera, known as 'Verdi's American Home', will join in the worldwide celebration honoring the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of the famed Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. In partnership with Selby Public Library, Sarasota Opera has planned an innovative program of public talks and free concerts including abig birthday celebration tonight, October 10, the day of the composer's birth. These events will take place at both the Selby Public Library and the Sarasota Opera House.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts opens its 2013-14 season of Composer Portraits with the work of Austrian composer and newly appointed Columbia University faculty member GEORG FRIEDRICH HAAS on October 10, 2013.

Music Director Alan Gilbert will lead the New York Philharmonic in a celebration of the centennial of English composer, conductor, and pianist Benjamin Britten. The program will include Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, featuring tenor Paul Appleby and Philharmonic Principal Horn Philip Myers, and Britten's Spring Symphony, with soprano Kate Royal (in her Philharmonic debut), mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke (Philharmonic subscription debut), tenor Paul Appleby, New York Choral Artists directed by Joseph Flummerfelt, and Brooklyn Youth Chorus directed by Dianne Berkun-Menaker. The concerts, which include a performance on the composer's 100th birthday, November 22, will take place Thursday, November 21, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 23 at 8:00 p.m.

During the month of October Sarasota Opera, known as 'Verdi's American Home', will join in the worldwide celebration honoring thebicentennial anniversary of the birth of the famed Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Wagner's bi-centenary is remembered in the moving and evocative Prelude to Tristan and Isolde. Of which Wagner wrote: "henceforth no end to the yearning, longing, rapture, and misery of love: world, power, fame, honor, chivalry, loyalty, and friendship, scattered like an insubstantial dream; one thing alone left living: longing, longing unquenchable, desire forever renewing itself, craving and languishing; one sole redemption: death, surcease of being, the sleep that knows no waking!"

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's 2013.14 Chamber Series opens on November 1-2, 2013 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Led by Associate Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong, the riveting chamber program features Arvo Pa?rt's Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, Bach's Chaconne from Partita No. 2, and Bruckner's Symphony No. 6. All tickets are $5 and are general admission.

During the month of October Sarasota Opera, known as “Verdi's American Home”, will join in the worldwide celebration honoring the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of the famed Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. In partnership with Selby Public Library, Sarasota Opera has planned an innovative program of public talks and free concerts including a big birthday celebration Thursday, October 10, the day of the composer's birth. These events will take place at both the Selby Public Library and the Sarasota Opera House.

On the occasion of composer Benjamin Britten's centennial, the Met will present its first performances of his 1960 opera A Midsummer Night's Dream in more than a decade. James Conlon leads his first Met performances of the opera, which is directed by Tim Albery in a revival of his acclaimed 1996 production.

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra's (ASO) 2013-2014 season continues with concerts at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 8pm. Under the musical direction of Maestro José-Luis Novo, the ASO will be accompanied by world-renowned pianist Peter Serkin. These performances will feature Benjamin Britten's Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Frank Bridge's The Sea, and Johannes Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2.

TENET, one of New York's preeminent vocal ensembles combines forces with the highly acclaimed chamber ensembleThe Sebastians in a performance of ODES: A Celebration of St. Cecilia. Works to be performed include odes by Henry Purcell and a tribute to Benjamin Britten on his birthday during this anniversary year. TENET will perform his poignant and beloved Hymn to St. Ceciliafor unaccompanied choir in an intimate, one-voice-per-part scoring. The performance is part of TENET's fifth anniversary festivities and takes place at 7PM on November 22, St. Cecilia's Day at St. Luke in the Fields (487 Hudson Street, New York).

Cleveland Orchestra has announced its concerts and events for October 2013. Details below!

The New World Symphony, America's Orchestral Academy (NWS), opens its 2013-2014 season this weekend, October 5 and 6 with the world premiere of a video work by artist and filmmaker Tal Rosner. The video, which accompanies the Four Sea Interludes from Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes, is co-commissioned by NWS, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony. The New World Symphony performances, which will include a WALLCAST concert on October 5, are conducted by NWS Founder and Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas and feature Gershwin's Cuban Overture and Piano Concerto in F performed by renowned pianist Yuja Wang, as well as Stravinsky'sPulcinella Suite.

Arguably the greatest opera of the 20th century, Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, comes to the Canadian Opera Company this fall for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts tonight, October 5 and October 8, 11, 17, 20, 23, 26, 2013. Recognized worldwide as the finest dramatic tenor before the public today, Canadian Ben Heppner returns to the COC in one of his favourite roles as the title character in Britten's gripping opera about an alienated fisherman and the seaside village he struggles to inhabit. Peter Grimes is sung in English with English SURTITLES.

The Kansas City Chorale has announced their 32nd season of concerts for 2013-2014, conducted by Charles Bruffy. For more information, visit: http://www.kcchorale.org/

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) celebrates the 200th anniversary of composer Richard Wagner's birth (May 22, 1813) with an unprecedented series of events this month. Beginning on Friday, Oct. 11, and running through Thursday, Oct. 24, CCM explores Wagner's iconic work and enduring legacy with a series of guest lectures, film screenings and a concert performance by the CCM Philharmonia. Aside from the Oct. 12 Philharmonia performance, these events are free and open to the general public.