Richard Strauss News

In its first concert of 2015, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra will celebrate the music of Richard Strauss. On Saturday, January 17, Music Director LARRY RACHLEFF and the orchestra welcome pianist ILYA YAKUSHEV, who most recently played with the Philharmonic in the 2011 season-opening concert. The Philharmonic will perform Strauss's early Serenade for Winds and his towering tone poem Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life). Between the two Strauss pieces, Mr. Yakushev will play J.S. Bach's First Keyboard Concerto. Tickets (starting at $15) are available at tickets.riphil.org, and the RIPO box office at 401.248.7000. The January concert is sponsored by The Joseph and Rosalyn Sinclair Foundation. Guest Artist Sponsors for Ilya Yakushev are Dr. Herbert Rakatansky and Ms. Barbara Sokoloff. An Open Dress Rehearsal takes place Friday January 16 at 5:30pm.

Renee Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehar's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

The San Antonio Symphony along with numerous festival partners is poised to begin its fifth annual city-wide winter composer festival, this year focusing on the late-Romantic German composer Richard Strauss. Opening in January, the Festival features a wealth of music by Strauss, including a collaboration with OPERA San Antonio for an undertaking of his epic opera Salome.

Phoenix -- Arizona Musicfest, the premier Winter Music Festival, kicks off January 29 and will run throughout the month of February, concluding March 5th.

Minnesota Opera Music Director Michael Christie leads the world premiere performances of The Manchurian Candidate, March 7-15, 2015 in the Music Theater at Ordway.

Bravo Brass, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's youth brass ensemble, along with the Strath Haven High School (SHHS) Chorus, are preparing to deck the halls and inspire concertgoers with the Christmas spirit in two upcoming performances of 'A Holiday Celebration.'

For generations, RVA has been delighted by the holiday classic Handel's Messiah. Join the Richmond Symphony and Richmond Symphony Chorus, tonight, December 13 at 7:30pm at the Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage for this timeless favorite. The concert will be led by Associate Conductor, Keitaro Harada.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

From the home city of manned spaceflight, the Houston Symphony announced today that it has released The Earth-An HD Odyssey on DVD and Blu-ray. The Earth-An HD Odyssey is the highly anticipated second installment of the Symphony's groundbreaking HD Odyssey film trilogy and Music Director Andres Orozco-Estrada's first recording release with the Houston Symphony. This DVD/Blu-ray release follows the world premiere live performance of The Earth-An HD Odyssey in February of 2012 at Jones Hall.

Chamber Orchestra of New York, Salvatore Di Vittorio, Music Director, will present Mythical Dances, a concert tonight, December 11 - 7:30 PM at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street at Seventh Avenue in Manhattan.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck returns to Chicago to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra tonight, December 11-13 and 16 in a program featuring Beethoven's beloved Symphony No. 7. Honeck's last appearance with the Chicago Symphony was in 2012 in a program of Strauss, Beethoven and Dvorák.

From the home city of manned spaceflight, the Houston Symphony announced today that it has released The Earth-An HD Odyssey on DVD and Blu-ray. The Earth-An HD Odyssey is the highly anticipated second installment of the Symphony's groundbreaking HD Odyssey film trilogy and Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada's first recording release with the Houston Symphony. This DVD/Blu-ray release follows the world premiere live performance of The Earth-An HD Odyssey in February of 2012 at Jones Hall.

The coming year brings two major milestones for peerless American baritone Sherrill Milnes, who celebrates his 80th birthday on January 10 and the 50th anniversary of his Metropolitan Opera debut on December 22, 2015.

The Brevard Music Center (BMC) will open its 2015 season on Saturday, June 20, with superstar pianist André Watts and BMC Principal Guest Conductor JoAnn Falletta in an all-Beethoven program. Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic. He has since enjoyed a celebrated 50 year career that has taken him across the globe to concertize with major orchestras and perform in the world's musical capitals. Watts has played before European royalty and international heads of government and has received the Avery Fisher Prize, the National Medal of Arts, and was the youngest person ever to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Yale University. André Watts will perform Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto with Maestra Falletta and the Brevard Music Center Orchestra on a program to include Leonore Overture No. 3 and the Seventh Symphony. The season concludes on Sunday, August 2, as Maestro Lockhart and the BMCO perform Mahler's powerful Symphony No. 1 – “The Titan.”

San Francisco Opera Center presents the culminating concert of the 2014 Adler Fellowship season, The Future is Now: Adler Fellows Gala Concert, tonight, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in San Francisco.

Chamber Orchestra of New York, Salvatore Di Vittorio, Music Director, will present Mythical Dances, a concert on Thursday, December 11 - 7:30 PM at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street at Seventh Avenue in Manhattan.

Bravo Brass, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's youth brass ensemble, along with the Strath Haven High School (SHHS) Chorus, are preparing to deck the halls and inspire concertgoers with the Christmas spirit in two upcoming performances of 'A Holiday Celebration.'

Toronto – Tenor Charles Sy of Toronto took home first prize and the Audience Choice Award at the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio Competition on November 25, 2014, at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The competition is the feature event of the COC's annual fundraising gala, Centre Stage, an evening dedicated to the discovery and celebration of the next generation of opera stars. Sy was selected from seven finalists to receive the $5,000 award. Baritone Dimitri Katotakis of Toronto, won the second prize of $3,000,and tenor Aaron Sheppard of St. John's, N.L.., was awarded the third prize of $1,500. In addition, Sy was selected by the audience as the winner of the Audience Choice Award, worth $1,500.

For generations, RVA has been delighted by the holiday classic Handel's Messiah. Join the Richmond Symphony and Richmond Symphony Chorus, on Saturday, December 13 at 7:30pm at the Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage for this timeless favorite. The concert will be led by Associate Conductor, Keitaro Harada.